#MUWBB Opens 2021 NCAA Tournament Against Va. Tech

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Marquette University women's basketball team (19-6, 14-4 BIG EAST) has earned an at-large bid as a No. 10 seed to the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship in San Antonio, Texas.

MU will play in the first round on Sunday, March 21 at 11 a.m. Central time against the No. 7 seed Virginia Tech Hokies (14-9, 8-8 ACC) in the Riverwalk Region.

ESPNU will provide television coverage with Sam Ravech (play-by-play) and Brenda VanLengen (analyst) on the call.

Marquette is making its 13th appearance in the NCAA tournament and fourth in a row since the 2016-17 season.

The Golden Eagles are 6-12 all-time in the NCAA tournament, winning one game in four of their last five appearances in the big dance. The program has made the Round of 32 six times but has never made it to the Sweet 16.

HOW TO FOLLOW:
The game will be televised on ESPNU and available for streaming on the WatchESPN app. Make sure to follow along on Twitter @MarquetteWBB for live in-game updates.

GAME DETAILS
No. 10 Marquette (19-6, 14-4 BIG EAST) vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech (14-9, 8-8 ACC)
Strahan Arena at the University Events Center
San Marcos, Texas
Sunday, March 21
11 a.m. CT
ESPNU/Watch ESPN App

LAST TIME OUT
• The Marquette women's basketball team fell to the No. 1 UConn Huskies 73-39 in the BIG EAST tournament championship game on Monday, March 8.
• Sophomore forward Camryn Taylor had 11 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Golden Eagles (19-6, 14-4 BIG EAST) while Lauren Van Kleunen and Antwainette Walker added six points. Seven Golden Eagles reached the scoring column.
• A Camryn Taylor bucket brought the Golden Eagles to within 16 points at 41-25 to start the third quarter, but that would be as close as MU would get. UConn outscored the Golden Eagles 15-5 in the final 8:32 of the third quarter and 32-16 in the half.
• MU shot a season-low 29 percent (18/62) from the field while the Huskies made 50 percent (29/58) of their shots.

SCOUTING THE HOKIES – ALL-TIME SERIES
• The No. 7 seed Virginia Tech Hokies (14-9, 8-8 ACC) are led by fifth-year head coach Kenny Brooks. Since Brooks' arrival in Blacksburg, the Hokies have enjoyed four consecutive 20-win seasons, with the first three resulting in trips to the WNIT, making a WNIT championship game appearance in 2018.
• In 2020, Brooks and the Hokies were poised to make the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006 after a historic 21-9 season that featured a record 11 ACC wins.
• In 2021, the Hokies are led by Elizabeth Kitley (18.5 points, 10.7 rebounds) and Aisha Sheppard (18.3 points, 3.1 assists). A First Team All-ACC honoree, Kitley ranks among the top four in the ACC in points, rebounds, FG%, blocks and free throws, in addition to leading the conference in double-doubles with 13. Sheppard also made First Team All-ACC and was an AP All-American Honorable Mention.
• Marquette and Virginia Tech have never met in women's basketball. This will be the first all-time meeting between the two teams.

STARTING FIVE
• Selena Lott became the first Golden Eagle to win BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year as she split the honors with UConn's Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Lott also made First Team All-BIG EAST while Lauren Van Kleunen made the second team and Camryn Taylor made All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention.
• Marquette's streak of five straight BIG EAST wins prior to last Monday's game moved it to 14-4 in conference play, marking the programs fifth consecutive season with 10-or-more BIG EAST wins. Coach Duffy and company went 13-5 in BIG EAST play last year. She's 27-9 in her 36 BIG EAST games.
• Seniors Selena Lott (1,176) and Lauren Van Kleunen (1,016) became the 30th and 31st Golden Eagles in program history to hit the 1,000 point mark this season.
• The Golden Eagles are 33-1 under Coach Duffy when leading at halftime and 23-1 when they turn the ball over fewer times than their opponent.
• In the 57 games of the Coach Duffy era, the Golden Eagles have outrebounded or tied their opponent on the glass 51 times (40-11 record). They'll look to continue that streak this weekend.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• The Golden Eagles are 6-12 all-time in the NCAA tournament. Marquette will be making its fourth straight appearance in 2021, which is a program record for longest consecutive NCAA tournament streak.
• MU is 6-6 all-time in the first round and 0-6 in the second. MU has never made a Sweet 16.
• MU has won an NCAA tournament game in five of its past six appearances.
• In 2019, MU was a No. 5 seed. It defeated Rice, a No. 12 seed, 58-54 in the first round before falling to Texas A&M (No. 4 seed) 78-76 in the round of 32.
• In 2018, MU defeated Dayton 84-65 in the first round. MU was a No. 8 seed. The Golden Eagles went on to play a No. 1 seed, Louisville, in the second round and lost 90-72.
• In 2017, the Golden Eagles were upset in the first round by Quinnipiac (68-65) in a No. 5/12 seed game.

MARQUETTE CLEANS UP IN BIG EAST AWARDS
• Senior guard Selena Lott was named the BIG EAST Co-Defensive Player of the Year, the conference announced on Thursday. She also took home First Team All-BIG EAST honors, her second consecutive all-conference nod (Second Team All-BIG EAST in 2019-20).
• Redshirt senior forward Lauren Van Kleunen was named as the BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award recipient. One of the team's leaders in the social justice movement, LVK graduated with her undergrad degree in marketing with a minor in public relations in May 2019 with a 3.2 cumulative GPA. LVK is currently pursuing her graduate degree of communication and media studies and a sport leadership certificate and will graduate with both in May 2021. She's also been extremely active in community service opportunities including Al's Run, reading to kids at school, Race for the Cure and Hunger Task Force. She was also named Second Team All-BIG EAST, her first career all-league selection.
• Sophomore Camryn Taylor was named All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention. She made the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team last year and upped her numbers to 11.9 points and 7.0 rebounds this year.

CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
• Selena Lott became the 30th Golden Eagle to reach the 1,000-career point mark on Jan. 27 at Villanova. She now has 1,176 points and ranks tied for No. 23 all-time at MU.
• Lauren Van Kleunen hit 1,000 career points on March 7 against Creighton. She ranks No. 30 all-time at MU with 1,016 career points.
• Lott (378 assists) also ranks No. 10 all-time in that category at MU. She passed Allazia Blockton (366) on March 6 against Providence.
• Selena Lott is a career 35.3% 3-point shooter, which ranks 7th all-time at MU. She's 31/93 (33%) from downtown this season. She ranks No. 12 all-time at MU with 131 3-pointers made in her career.
• Lott is 9th all-time in Golden Eagles history in steals. She has 220 right now, one steal out of eighth.
• Lott is 8th all-time in Golden Eagles history in blocks. She has 81 right now, one out of seventh place.

WHAT'S NEXT?
• If Marquette defeats Virginia Tech, it will play in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 against the winner of No. 2 Baylor and No. 15 Jackson State.

Keep up with the Marquette women's basketball program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteWBB) and Instagram (@marquettewbb) and `liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteWBB).