University of North Carolina Athletics
Women's Basketball to Face Northeastern in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament
June 21, 1999 | Women's Basketball
March 8, 1999
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Seeded No. 4 in the Midwest Region, the North Carolina women's basketball team will open NCAA Tournament play at home Friday against Northeastern. Fifth-seeded Alabama will take on 12th-seeded Grambling at 6 p.m. at Carmichael Auditorium and UNC will play No. 13 seed Northeastern 30 minutes after the first game's conclusion.
"We're glad to have the home court, but our bracket is tough," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "I think our players will be ready to go. We've taken some days off and we'll be ready to play."
North Carolina, which received an at-large bid, is making its 12th NCAA Tournament appearance, its eighth under Hatchell. The Tar Heels (26-7) won the 1994 title and advanced to the Mideast Regional final last season. UNC has advanced at least as far as the Sweet 16 in its last five tournament appearances.
The 1999 tournament marks North Carolina's first seeding in the Midwest Region. The Tar Heels had played previously in the other three regions. UNC's last appearance as a No. 4 seed was in 1993, when the Tar Heels received a first-round bye, beat Alabama 74-73 in overtime in the second round and lost 74-54 to Tennessee in the East Regional semifinals.
Friday's game will be the second meeting between North Carolina and Northeastern. The two met in the Queens Holiday Tournament in Flushing, N.Y. on Dec. 27, 1982. UNC won that game 79-57.
Midwest Regional
First and second round games
Friday, March 12
6 p.m. No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Grambling
30 minutes after first game No. 4 North Carolina vs. No. 13 Northeastern
Sunday, March 14
6:30 p.m. First round winners
A two-day ticket package is $15 for adults, $10 for students. Single-session tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for students. For advance ticket purchases, call the UNC ticket office at (800) 722-4335 or (919) 962-2296.
