FOREST, Va. --- The top two seeds in the upcoming ODAC Women's Basketball Tournament are riding considerable winning streaks with the season coming to a close. Guilford College earns top billing with a 16-2 league mark powered by nine straight victories. Emory & Henry College has won 11 consecutive outings on the way to a 15-3 conference record and the second seed in the ODAC's 10-team tournament field.
Reading the conference standings heading into the final weekend of regular season play could have left many scratching their heads with a basket full of possible ties set to jumble the final table. However, results from Saturday cleared up several possible stalemates, and those left to be sifted thru league procedures were quickly solved via head-to-head results.
Under the conference's new 10-team format, the top six seeds earn trips to the Salem Civic Center for the quarterfinals, while seeds 7-10 play in a pair of first round games earlier in the week. Joining Guilford and Emory & Henry in Salem will be Washington and Lee University, Randolph-Macon College, Virginia Wesleyan University, and the University of Lynchburg. The Generals and Yellow Jackets occupy the third and fourth positions outright, while the Marlins used its head-to-head win over Lynchburg to earn the fifth seed. The Hornets will play out of the sixth slot.
Roanoke College and Shenandoah University will host the two first round matchups. The Maroons were left alone as the seventh seed and welcome 10th-seeded Eastern Mennonite University to the Cregger Center for one first-round tilt. Shenandoah used its victory over Lynchburg on Saturday, combined with Bridgewater College's final-day loss to Emory & Henry, to move into a tie with the Eagles. SU's regular season win over BC awarded the Hornets the eighth seed. They will host ninth-seeded Bridgewater in the remaining first round game.
RELATED: ODAC Women's Basketball Bracket
Tournament play begins on Tuesday, February 19, with the two first round contests hosted by the eighth and ninth seeds. The winners of those two games will join the top six seeds in Salem at the Salem Civic Center for the quarterfinals on Friday, February 22. Semifinals will be on Saturday, February 23, followed by the championship game on Sunday, February 24.
Listed below is the full schedule for the 2019 ODAC Women's Basketball Tournament. For more information, visit any of the participating schools' websites, or go to the ODAC tournament website. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.
All games in Salem can be watched LIVE on the ODAC Basketball Streaming Channel or on Facebook Live. First round games can be watched LIVE thru the host schools. Check the tournament website, bracket and schedules for links.
2019 ODAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS AND SCHEDULE -- LIVE BRACKET
First Round | Tuesday, February 19 | at highest seeds
Game 1: #9 Bridgewater at #8 Shenandoah - 7:00 p.m.
Game 2: #10 Eastern Mennonite at #7 Roanoke - 7:00 p.m.
Quarterfinals | Friday, February 22 | Salem Civic Center
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. #1 Guilford - 1:00 p.m.
Game 4: #5 Virginia Wesleyan vs. #4 Randolph-Macon - 3:00 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 2 vs. #2 Emory & Henry - 6:00 p.m.
Game 6: #6 Lynchburg vs. #3 Washington and Lee - 8:00 p.m.
Semifinals | Saturday, February 23 | Salem Civic Center
Game 7: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 6:00 p.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 - 8:00 p.m.
Championship | Sunday, February 24 | Salem Civic Center
Game 9: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 - 3:30 p.m.