March 5, 2012
San Antonio – The St. Mary’s Rattlers are headed to Wichita Falls, Texas for the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament, where they will face host Midwestern State University in the first round.
The No. 8 seed Rattlers (19-8) and top-seeded Mustangs (26-3) will battle in the opening act at 6 p.m. Saturday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
The Rattlers beat Arkansas-Fort Smith to earn the Heartland Conference Tournament championship, while Midwestern State won the Lone Star Conference.
Tickets for the tournament will go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday. All pre-sale tickets will be all-session passes, with prices ranging from $22 for general admission and $15 for students and senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased online at Midwestern State’s official web site, MSUMustangs.com.
Saturday’s other quarterfinals action pits No. 3 seed Arkansas Tech against No. 6 seed West Texas A&M (12 p.m.), No. 2 seed Tarleton State against No. 7 seed Missouri Southern (2:30 p.m.) and No. 4 seed Washburn against No. 5 seed Northwest Missouri (8:30 p.m.).
The semifinals will take place at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, with the championship being played at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
St. Mary’s, which won its fifth Heartland Conference championship over the weekend, is making its first national tournament appearance since the 2007-08 season.