Boston, MA- Fisher College Women's Basketball is looking to make a statement tonight at Indiana University Northwest going up against Stillman College in the first round of the A.I.I. Tournament at 5:30pm EST. This is the first trip in program history to the Association of Independent Institutions play-offs. The finalists of the highly competitive field of six schools advances to the NAIA National Tournament in March.
Six teams are making their way to Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Ind., in search of winning the 2018 Association of Independent Institutions' Women's Basketball Championship in a tournament taking place Feb. 23-25.
The first round begins Friday, Feb. 23, with the semifinals following the next day. The final two surviving teams will compete for a tournament title Sunday, Feb. 25, starting at 2 p.m. Those finalist will receive automatic bids to represent the league in the NAIA Division II national tournament.
College of the Ozarks (28-1) is the tournament's top seed and has a No. 3 national ranking. Haskell Indian Nations University (12-17) receives the other first-round bye as the No. 2 seed after going 4-3 against A.I.I. competition this season.
Friday's first game features No. 4 seed Indiana Northwest (14-15) against No. 5 Washington Adventist University (18-11) at 2 p.m. The winner advances to face College of the Ozarks Saturday, Feb. 24, at 6:30 p.m.
No. 3 seed Stillman College (17-10) plays No. 6 Fisher College (17-11) in Friday's other first-round contest, starting at 5:30 p.m. Both teams come into the tournament playing well: Stillman has won five of its last six games, while Fisher has been ahead in seven of its last 10 contests. No. 2 Haskell Indian Nations awaits the winner Saturday at 4 p.m.
Follow all of the action through the Tournament Central website HERE.
2018 A.I.I. Women's Basketball Tournament Schedule
Friday, Feb. 23 (First Round)
No. 4 Indiana Northwest (14-15) vs. No. 5 Washington Adventist (18-11), 2 p.m.
No. 3 Stillman (17-10) vs. No. 6 Fisher (17-11), 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 24 (Semifinals)
No. 2 Haskell Indian Nations (12-17) vs. Game 2 Winner, 4 p.m.
No. 1 College of the Ozarks (28-1) vs. Game 1 Winner, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 25 (Championship)
Semifinal Winner 1 vs. Semifinal Winner 2, 2 p.m.