Lady Dogs Headed to NCAAs

From UGA Athletics...

The Georgia Lady Bulldogs received an at large bid to the 2009 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship on Monday evening.

Georgia, the No. 11 seed in the Trenton Regional, will play sixth-seeded Arizona State on Saturday at noon at the Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. Third-seeded Florida State will take on No. 14 seed North Carolina A&T in the second game on Saturday 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first contest. Saturday's winners will play on Monday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. for the right to advance to the Trenton Regional.

"Obviously our basketball team is very excited if not thrilled to be included," head coach Andy Landers said. "We realized the bubble and the size of the bubble. We had played ourselves onto a small bubble, and we knew that we had a chance to get in and a chance to be left out. When they called out our name, there was scream that went up and covered the entire room. You’re talking about an excited and happy group of young ladies who I think will come out and do their very best in this game against Arizona State."

The bid is Georgia's 26th overall and moves the Lady Bulldogs into sole possession of second place all-time nationally. Georgia has now earned spots in the last 15th NCAA fields.

The Lady Bulldogs were among the last eighth of the bracket to be revealed.

"Being one of the last ones to come up was as you could say, somewhat dramatic," Landers said.

Georgia's co-captains – junior Ashley Houts and senior Danielle Taylor – were thrilled the Lady Bulldogs' season was extended.

"I think the first step right now is for us to just be grateful for this opportunity," Houts said.

Taylor had just left a late class when her cell phone "lit up" with text messages letting her know Georgia received a bid.

"It was 7:43 and I had just walked out of class," Taylor said. "I got three messages all at once – from Christy (Marshall), Meredith (Mitchell) and my godfather. It’s an opportunity for us and for me as the lone senior having another chance to go to the tournament, having been every year. It’s definitely a privilege to go again."

Tickets to the 2009 NCAA Women’s Basketball First and Second Rounds hosted by the University of Georgia at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on March 21-23 are on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster or by calling 1-800-745-3000.