Rutgers Awarded First Two Rounds of 2009 NCAA Tournament
Jul 06 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Rutgers will serve as one of the eight sites for first- and second-round games of the 2009 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. Four first-round games and two second-round contests will be conducted at the Louis Brown Athletic Center (8,000) either Saturday, March 21 and Monday, March 23; or Sunday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 24, 2009.
RU will host tournament games for the first time since the NCAA began using pre-determined sites in 2003. Previously, Rutgers was awarded first- and/or second-round games in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000 and 2001 based on its seed. RU also served as the host of the 1994 East Regional. The Scarlet Knights have posted a 10-3 (.769) record in NCAA Tournament games played at the Louis Brown Athletic Center.
'We are thrilled to have the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament opening rounds returning to Rutgers in 2009,' said Rutgers Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Bob Mulcahy. 'It has been several years since we have been able to host tournament games, so we are excited about the possibility of our team being able to play on its own court in front of our tremendous fans. This will be an outstanding event, and we are pleased that the NCAA has chosen Rutgers to serve as one of the hosts.'
The other 2009 first- and second-round sites are Albuquerque, NM; Baton Rouge, LA; College Park, MD; Columbus, OH; Duluth, GA; Lubbock, TX; and Los Angeles, CA. Regionals will be held in Berkeley, CA; Oklahoma City, OK; Raleigh, NC; and Trenton, NJ.
No. 9/9 Rutgers posted a 27-5 overall record last season, advancing to the regional semifinals of the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The Scarlet Knights posted a perfect 16-0 mark in BIG EAST Conference regular-season play to win their second straight outright BIG EAST regular-season crown.
