SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific women's basketball team is headed to the postseason for the first time since joining the NCAA, earning the five seed in the PacWest Conference Tournament. The Sunbirds will take on Point Loma for the third time this season in the quarterfinals, with the winner advancing to play regular season champion Azusa Pacific in the semifinals the next evening. 
 
Quotable
"The most impressive thing about our group of young ladies is that they are never quite satisfied. At the beginning of the year, our biggest goal was to make the postseason. When we clinched a tournament spot with seven games to go in the season, we immediately set new goals. Although we are satisfied with the achievement of making it to postseason, we are by no means content with just getting there. Point Loma is as hot of a team as there is going in to next week. We will have our work cut out for us Thursday night, and I fully expect it to be a battle from start to finish. We also know that for us to come out victorious, we need to put together a solid 40 minutes on the defensive end. Quite simply, we need to be the best version of our team possible to succeed. It's a fun challenge and we are looking forward to proving ourselves in San Rafael." – head coach Tim Beauregard
 
PacWest Tournament 
Tournament Central| Tickets| Bracket   
Thursday, March 7
Quarterfinals vs. Point Loma• 7:15 p.m.
San Rafael, Calif. • Conlan Center
Live Stats• Video
 
Friday, March 8
Semifinals vs. Azusa Pacific(with win over Point Loma) • 7:15 p.m.
San Rafael, Calif. • Conlan Center
Live Stats• Video
 
Saturday, March 9
Finals vs. TBA (with win over Azusa Pacific) • 4:30 p.m.
San Rafael, Calif. • Conlan Center
Live Stats• Video
 
About the Sunbirds (19-9, 15-7 PacWest)
Fresno Pacific picked up win #19 on Saturday with a big second half against Holy Names, giving the Blue and Orange their highest win total since the 2006-07 season. Four Sunbirds are averaging in double-figures in scoring, with Bree Alvarez' (16.1 PPG) and Jessica Malazarte (15.1 PPG) ranking fifth and ninth in the league in scoring respectively. During the regular season, FPU turned in a turnover margin of +4.89, landing them behind only Dominican on the conference leaderboard. 
 
About the Sea Lions (18-10, 17-5 PacWest)
Point Loma is the hottest team in the league entering the postseason after winning 12 straight to lock up the tournament's four seed. Sydney Peterson and Cara Liggins are combining for just under 30 points per game for the Sea Lions, while Grace Brady's 102 blocks are the fourth-highest single-season total in PacWest Conference history. PLNU has made the PacWest Tournament in each of the five years they have been eligible to do so and have beaten four different opponents in those games.  
 
Quarterfinals Matchup
The home team has won both meetings this season, and Point Loma claims a 44-34 advantage in the all-time series. 
 
In Fresno in December, Ashley Cross came away with a steal in the waning moments for FPU, drawing contact on her way to the bucket to sink the clinching free throws to help FPU ice a 77-74 victory. Point Loma pulled out a 10-point win in a defensive battle in San Diego two weeks ago, with Brady's double-double leading the way for the Sea Lions.  
 
The two teams have met three times at a neutral court but have not done so since 2002, when Fresno Pacific picked up an 86-68 victory in Azusa.
 
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