PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- For the fourth time in program history, and second straight season, the University of Pikeville women's basketball team is heading to the NAIA National Tournament where it will face third-seeded Wayland Baptist (Texas) at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, March 17 in Independence, Mo.

The Bears (23-8) received a No. 6 seed and were ranked No. 23 in the final NAIA Coaches' Poll, giving them a spot in every national poll released this season. The Flying Queens (25-4) came in at No. 11 in the final poll.

How They Qualified

UPIKE did not receive one of the 14 automatic berths reserved for conference champions, instead making the 32-team field as the 12th at-large selection. The 17 at-large berths were decided using the final coaches' poll released on Wednesday, while host institution William Woods (Mo.) also qualified automatically.

Wayland Baptist qualified for the tournament by winning the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament, topping then-No. 17 Oklahoma City 71-58.

When, Where, How to Watch/Listen

The 2016 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship will be played out from March 16-22 at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena in Independence, Mo.

The NAIA Network will broadcast the first 30 games on a pay-per-view basis, with the championship game to be shown on ESPN3.

Free streaming audio of every tournament game will be available on Free Tap Sports Radio and live stats will also be available on the NAIA Dakstats site.

Scouting Wayland Baptist

The Flying Queens are making their 23rd appearance in the national tournament where they have a 25-22 all-time record, but have never won a national title. Wayland Baptist has also lost in the first round in its last four appearances and hasn't won a game in the tournament since 2003.

Led by third-year head coach Alesha Robertson-Ellis, the Flying Queens enter NAIA play on a 21-game winning streak, last losing on Dec. 15 to Texas Women's University. Wayland Baptist leads the NAIA in assists at 17.9 per game and is second in scoring margin, winning by over 21 points per game.

Shayla Monreal is a player to watch from deep, shooting an NAIA sixth best 44.9 percent from 3-point land, while Stephanie Afunugo is the leading scorer at 12.9 points per contest and Jade Jones leads the team on the glass with 7.8 boards per contest.

Wayland Baptist averages nearly 80 points per game, similar to the 82 per game scored by UPIKE. Defensively they are similar as well, with the Flying Queens giving up 58.3 and the Bears allowing 63.9. Taking the looking in the mirror story line even farther is both programs entering the tournament shooting 44 percent from the field.     

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