#15 Seed Grambling State to meet #2 Seed Baylor in NCAA tourney

TELEVISION: 16-March at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Grambling State University women's basketball will party like its 1999 as the Lady Tigers were selected a 15-seed in the Lexington Regional and will meet second-seed Baylor on Friday in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.

Grambling State and Baylor will meet at 6:30 p.m. at The Ferrell Center on Friday in the opening round of the Lexington Regional, hosted by Baylor.

This will be the fourth-ever meeting between the two schools and the first since 2015. The Lady Bears own a 3-0 record in the series, including a 96-42 victory in 2015.

NCAA Division I Women's Championship Bracket

The Lady Tigers (19-13) earned the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) automatic bid after defeating top-seeded Southern, 72-68, in the conference championship game on Saturday. Grambling State advanced to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship for the first time since 1999 and sixth overall trip the "Big Dance."

The Lady Tigers has faced in the tournament Vanderbilt (1994), Stanford (1996), Tennessee (1997), Texas Tech (1998) and Alabama (1999).

Grambling State averages 67.0 points, while its opponents are at 67.2. The Lady Tigers are shooting 39.9 percent (780-of-1,957), while the opponents are shooting 40 percent (765-of-1,914).

Shakyla Hill, an All-SWAC First-Team selection and All-Tournament Most Valuable Player honoree, has played and started in all 32 games this season. She leads the team in points (17.1), rebounds (7.5), assists (5.7) and steals (4.9). The Little Rock, Ark. native, who became the seventh basketball player and fourth ever in NCAA Division I Women's basketball history to record a quadruple double on Jan. 3, is second in the nation in steals and steals per game, fifth in triple-doubles, 23rd is assists, 25th in minutes played and 27th in assists per game.

Jazmin Boyd is second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points. She averages 2.5 boards, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 27.7 minutes per game. The Hattiesburg, Miss. native has scored in double figures 17 times, including a career-high 31 points against Jackson State (Feb. 17). Also, she has scored in double figures in 11 straight games.

Monisha Neal, an All-SWAC First-Team performer and All-SWAC Tournament team selection, is third on the team in scoring at 10.3 points per game. She also averages 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals in the 29 games played. The Lewisville, Texas native has reached double figures in scoring 17 times.

Baylor (31-1), winners of the Big 12 Championship, is riding a 28-game winning streak, with its last loss coming on Nov. 18 against UCLA.

Kalani Brown paces four Baylor players in double figures at 20.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Lauren Cox and Kristy Wallace are pouring in 14.7 and 12.9 points, respectively, while Dekeiya Cohen is averaging 12.1 points.

The Lady Bears are no stranger to a SWAC opponent in the first round as Baylor defeated Texas Southern, 119-30, last season.

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