DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The No. 5-ranked and second-seeded Lander women's basketball team begins its NCAA South Regional with a semifinal matchup against third-seeded Valdosta State on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m., at the Convocation Center at the University of North Georgia.
QUICK HITTERS
Where to Watch: PBC Sports Network
Where to Listen: Bearcat Broadcasting Network
Live stats: NCAA.com
First Met: Nov. 15, 2009 (71-54 Lander)
Lander Record: 17-1, 14-0 PBC
Valdosta State Record: 17-3, 16-2 GSC
STORYLINES
- Lander is making its 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats are 12-13 overall in the NCAA Tournament and are back in the field for the seventh consecutive season. Lander earned its first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1999.
- Lander and Valdosta State have never met in the NCAA Tournament. The Blazers defeated Lee 74-64 on Friday night.
- The Bearcats have won their last three NCAA Tournament openers.
- Lander completed the first undefeated regular season in program history.
- The Bearcats are 1-0 all-time against Valdosta State
- The Peach Belt Conference has the top two seeds in a regional for the second consecutive season. Lander is back in the postseason for the seventh consecutive season, while North Georgia is in the tournament for the fourth straight year.
- Lander's current .944 winning percentage is the highest in program history.
- The Bearcats played in their fifth Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship game in six seasons. Makaila Cange, Zamiya Passmore, and Miriam Recarte were named to the all-tournament team.
- The Bearcats are a No. 2 seed for the first time since 2016 and for the third time in Kevin Pederson's tenure.
- Valdosta State is making its 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its first in four seasons.
- This season, Kwajelin Farrar leads the Blazers with 14.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.
- The trio of Cangé, Passmore, and Recarte have combined to average 48.7 points per game this season.
- Passmore is averaging 6.1 assists per game, the most for a Bearcat since Tiara Good's 6.3 per game is 2006-07.
- Cangé, Passmore, and Recarte have led the Bearcats in scoring in 17 of 18 games this season.
- The Bearcats are ranked No. 5 in the WBCA Coaches Poll and are No. 7 in the D2SIDA poll.
- Cangé became the sixth PBC Player of the Year in program history
- Recarte was named PBC Defender of the Year, becoming the third Bearcat to win the award in the last six seasons.
- Kevin Pederson earned PBC Coach of the Year honors, becoming the ninth coach in league history to win the award multiple times.
- Cangé and Passmore were named to the first-team All-PBC squad, while Recarte earned second-team honors.
- Cangé ranks second in the nation in field-goal percentage, shooting 66.3 percent.
- Cangé also ranks fourth in the country in defensive rebounding and double-doubles.
- The winner of Saturday's semifinal will advance to the NCAA South Regional championship game on Monday night to face either No. 1 seed North Georgia or No. 4 seed Union.
- Lander appeared in the 2019 NCAA Southeast Regional championship game.
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