The Tribune

THE George Washington Colonials women’s basketball team, featuring Grand Bahamian senior Jonquel Jones, has earned a No. 8 seed in the Sioux Falls Regional.

They will head to Columbia, South Carolina, to face No. 9 seed Kansas State in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Colonial Life Arena 5pm Friday. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

No. 1 seed South Carolina and No. 16 seed Jacksonville will also play their first-round game at Colonial Life Arena on Friday, and GW would face the winner in the second round on Sunday, March 21.

The Atlantic 10 champion Colonials (26-6) earned the league’s automatic bid and will make their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 17th overall.

GW is 18-16 all-time in their 16 prior appearances, including 13-3 in the first round. The Colonials have reached the Sweet 16 four times, including back-to-back appearances in 2007 and 2008, and advanced to the Elite Eight in 1997.

The selection also marks head coach Jonathan Tsipis’ second in his four seasons in Foggy Bottom.

This marks the third time that the Colonials have been a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament (1992, 2004); GW earned its best slotting at No. 4 in 1995.

Ranked 23rd in the RPI, GW will enter the NCAA Tournament with a 26-6 overall record, marking its third straight 20-win season.

The Colonials have won five in a row en route to winning its second consecutive A-10 title and a share of the league’s regular-season crown with a 13-3 conference mark.

Four Colonials collected A-10 All-Conference accolades, led by junior Caira Washington, a first-team selection and the Most Outstanding Player of the A-10 Championship, who is averaging 13.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game this season. In addition, Jones - a national player of the year candidate - is the nation’s leading rebounder with 14.7 boards per contest to go with her 16.0 points per game, making her the only player in the A-10 averaging a double-double on the year. 

Graduate student point guard Lauren Chase joined Jones on the A-10’s second team after averaging 9.8 points and 6.0 assists per game, and freshman Mei-Lyn Bautista earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team.

Kansas State is 18-12 on the season and earned an at-large bid out of the Big 12 Conference. The Colonials and Wildcats have not met since their only previous matchup in 1995.