March 10, 2003

BOCA RATON, FL - For the fourth straight season under head coach Chancellor Dugan, the Florida Atlantic University women's basketball team is headed to the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. FAU completed its regular season Saturday in a 91-79 victory over Stetson at FAU Gymnasium. The victory gave FAU a 14-13 record and a 12-4 mark in the A-Sun, which placed FAU second in the A-Sun South Division.

The winner of the three-day tournament will receive the A-Sun's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. FAU, which has appeared in two A-Sun Tournament championships games, has never advanced to the NCAA Tournament as a Division I program.

FAU will face Jacksonville State, the no. 3 seed in the North Division, on Thursday at 1:00pm at UCF Arena in Orlando in one quarterfinal game. For ticket information, fans can call (407) UCF-GOLD.

All of FAU's games will be broadcast on WLVJ 1040-AM and can also be heard on www.fausports.com.

The Lady Owls come into the tournament having won three of their last four games and, dating back to mid-December, 14 of their past 20 games. Their 12-4 conference record is the best, from a winning percentage standpoint, in the program's history.

Dugan, who is in her fourth season with FAU, has led the team to the A-Sun Tournament each season. Last year, FAU advanced to the championship game before falling to Georgia State, 64-63, on a last-second put-back.

FAU is led by its two seniors, Tamica Pierce and Crystal Boyland. Pierce leads the team with 13.2 points per game and has been the team's leading scorer the past two seasons. Pierce also leads the team with 6.6 rebounds per game. Boyland has averaged 10.5 points per game this season.

FAU defeated JSU, 96-83, on February 6 at FAU Gymnasium. Overall, FAU owns a 7-6 record against Jacksonville State and has won five of the past seven meetings. FAU has never faced JSU in the A-Sun Tournament. JSU is led by the A-Sun Player-of-the-Year, Shanika Freeman, who averages 22.0 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.

A-Sun Tournament Schedule

Thursday, March 13 (Quarterfinals
#2 (S)-Florida Atlantic vs #3 (N)-Jacksonville State, 1:00pm (Live on WLVJ 1040-AM)
#1 (N)-Georgia State vs #4 (S)-Mercer, 3:15pm
#1 (S) Central Florida vs #4 (N)-Campbell, 7:00pm
#2 (N)-Belmont vs #3 (S)-Troy State, 9:15pm

Friday, March 14 (Semifinals)
FAU/JSU vs GSU/Mercer, 6:00pm (Live on WLVJ 1040-AM)
UCF/Campbell vs Belmont/TSU, 8:15pm

Saturday, March 15
Championship, 4:00pm (Live on WLVJ 1040-AM and Fox Sports South/Sunshine)