March 5, 2008

FRISCO - The bracket and game times for next week's Southland Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament has been set, with the No. 1 seeded teams - Texas State's women's squad, and either the Lamar or Stephen F. Austin men's teams - playing at 6 p.m. on the opening days of the event. The tournament begins March 12 and runs through March 16 here at the Merrell Center in suburban west Houston, and features the top eight men's and women's regular season finishers.

Tournament games played on Wednesday through Friday will be shown on SouthlandTV, the league video streaming channel available through www.southland.org. A package of all 12 streaming broadcasts will cost $12.95, and a single game purchase will be $5.95. Saturday's women's championship game will be televised live at 3 p.m. on FSN Southwest, and Sunday's men's final will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN 2 at Noon.

The women's and men's tournament champions earn automatic bids into the NCAA Tournament. For tickets, visit any Houston-area Ticketmaster location, go on-line to www.ticketmaster.com, or call 713-629-3700. Tickets in special team seating sections are available at campus athletic ticket offices.

2008 SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

MARCH 12-16, MERRELL CENTER, KATY

ALL TIMES CENTRAL

Wednesday, March 12, Women's Quarterfinals:

Women's Game 1: No. 7 Seed vs. No. 2 Seed, Noon (SouthlandTV)
Women's Game 2: No. 6 Seed vs. No. 3 Seed, 2:30 p.m. (SouthlandTV)
Women's Game 3: No. 8 Seed vs. No. 1 Texas State, 6 p.m. (SouthlandTV)
Women's Game 4: No. 5 Seed vs. No. 4 Seed, 8:30 p.m. (SouthlandTV)

Thursday, March 13, Men's Quarterfinals:

Men's Game 1: No. 7 Seed vs. No. 2 Seed, Noon (SouthlandTV)
Men's Game 2: No. 6 Seed vs. No. 3 Seed, 2:30 p.m. (SouthlandTV)
Men's Game 3: No. 8 Seed vs. No. 1 Seed, 6 p.m. (SouthlandTV)
Men's Game 3: No. 5 Seed vs. No. 4 Seed, 8:30 p.m. (SouthlandTV)

Friday, March 14, Women's and Men's Semifinals:

Women's Game 5: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, Noon (SouthlandTV)
Women's Game 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, 2:30 p.m. (SouthlandTV)
Men's Game 5: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 6 p.m. (SouthlandTV)
Men's Game 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, 8:30 p.m. (SouthlandTV)

Saturday, March 15, Women's Championship:

Women's Game 7: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, 3 p.m. (FSN Southwest)

Sunday, March 16, Men's Championship:

Men's Game 7: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, Noon (ESPN 2)