SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference has announced the seeding for the 2020 Ingles SoCon Women’s Basketball Championship presented by General Shale, which will begin Thursday, March 5, at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville in Asheville, North Carolina.



After going 5-9 in league play a season ago, Samford (16-14, 10-4 SoCon) won a share of the regular-season title and earned the top seed in the upcoming Southern Conference championship. The Bulldogs, led by first-year head coach Carley Kuhns, are the top seed for the first time in program history and will open up the tournament against No. 8 seed Western Carolina (5-15, 2-12). Samford won both meetings in the regular season, including the regular-season finale on Saturday.



Furman (18-11, 8-6) and Wofford (15-14, 8-6) are slotted No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, and will face off in Thursday’s second game at approximately 1:15 p.m. The two programs, who played in the regular-season finale, split the regular-season meetings with each taking the contest on its home court. Furman, the preseason pick to win the league, played in the championship final last season.



Chattanooga (11-17, 10-4), who owns a league-best 18 Southern Conference Championships, earned a share of the regular-season title and is the No. 2 seed. Katie Burrows’ squad will battle No. 7 Mercer (7-22, 4-10), the 2019 SoCon regular-season and tournament champion, in game three of the first round at approximately 3:30 p.m. The Mocs, who enter the tournament on a five-game winning streak, split the regular-season meetings with the Bears, with each team winning on its home court.



No. 3 seed UNC Greensboro (21-8, 10-4) also captured a share of the regular-season title, its first since the 2001-02 campaign. The Spartans, who went 5-9 a year ago and entered the tournament as the No. 6 seed, are set to square off with No. 6 ETSU (9-20, 4-10) in the final first-round game at approximately 5:45 p.m. UNCG swept both regular-season meetings.



Semifinal action will take place on Friday and the women’s championship game will tip off on Sunday at 12 p.m.



All women’s basketball games will be held at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville and are set to be broadcast on ESPN+. The title game will also air on select Nexstar affiliates. For more information, visit SoConSports.com.



2020 Ingles Southern Conference Women’s Basketball Championship presented by General Shale

Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville ? Asheville, N.C.



Thursday, March 5

Game 1 – No. 1 Samford vs. No. 8 Western Carolina, 11 a.m.

Game 2 – No. 4 Furman vs. No. 5 Wofford, 1:15 p.m.^

Game 3 – No. 2 Chattanooga vs. No. 7 Mercer, 3:30 p.m.^

Game 4 – No. 3 UNCG vs. No. 6 ETSU, 5:45 p.m.^



^ - Denotes approximate game time. The first game on March 5 will have a firm start time. Each game thereafter will start 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding game but will not start prior to the listed time.



Friday, March 6

Game 5 – Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 11 a.m.

Game 6 – Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 1:15 p.m.



Sunday, March 8

Championship Game

Game 7 – Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 12 p.m.



NOTE: All times Eastern. All games to be broadcast on ESPN+, with the championship game also on Nexstar.

- www.SoConSports.com -