Women's Basketball set for Final Four Showdown with Illinois Wesleyan at 7 p.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP WEBSITE | BRACKET

St. Louis, Mo., March 14, 2011 – The No. 12 Washington University in St. Louis women’s basketball team will continue its postseason run against No. 7 Illinois Wesleyan University in the NCAA Division III national semifinal on Friday, March 18, at the Shirk Center on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington, Ill., at 7 p.m.

The winner of Friday night’s Final Four matchup will advance to the national championship game where they will face either No. 2 Amherst College or No. 11 Christopher Newport University on Saturday, March 19, at 7 p.m.
Single session tickets will be $12 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens, while all session passes will be available for $20 for adults and $15 for students and senior citizens.

Tickets for the Final Four may be obtained in a variety of ways, either by visiting the NCAA Championship website at http://www.ncaa.com/championships/basketball-women/d3 or by calling the Shirk Center ticket office at (309) 556-3196. Washington University fans looking to obtain advance tickets should contact Director of Athletics John Schael at (314) 935-5288.

Washington University, which is appearing in its 22nd-consecutive NCAA Tournament, has advanced to the Final Four for a Division III record 10th time, and the defending national champions are participating in the Final Four for the third-straight year and fourth time over the past five seasons.

The Bears have defeated four-straight top-10 teams en route to their 10th Final Four appearance, including two previously unbeaten teams, No. 10 Denison University 71-55 in the opening round, and No. 1 Thomas More College, 72-53, in the sectional semifinals. Washington U. picked up a 63-58 victory over University Athletic Association (UAA) rival No. 6 University of Chicago in the sectional final on Saturday night in Crestview Hills, Ky., avenging a pair of regular season losses suffered to the Maroons earlier this year.

Washington University’s opponent in the national semifinal, Illinois Wesleyan, erased a 23-point deficit against George Fox University in the sectional final to advance to the Final Four for the first time in school history. The Titans are making their fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and bring a 12-game winning streak into Friday night’s showdown.

No. 2 Amherst College, like Washington University, is appearing in the Final Four for the third-straight season. The Lord Jeffs are 30-1 overall and topped previously unbeaten Babson College, 68-49, on Saturday night to book a return trip to Bloomington. Amherst is 15-4 all-time in four NCAA Tournament appearances.

No. 11 Christopher Newport University is in the Final Four for the first time in school history after defeating No. 16 Lebanon Valley College 62-50 on Saturday night in Annville, Pa. The Captains are led by senior Chelsie Schweers who leads Division III in scoring with 25.9 points per game, pouring in 828 points already this season. She is the NCAA all-division leader in three-pointers with 411.