ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Defending Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament champion Tusculum College is the top seed for the 2011 tournament and will host eighth-seed Anderson University in a quarterfinal game Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Pioneer Arena.

The Pioneers (18-8, 14-4 SAC) won their third SAC regular-season title in the last four years, while the Trojans (11-15, 7-11 SAC) qualified for the SAC tournament in their first season in the conference.

The teams split their regular-season meetings, with the Pioneers earning a 76-52 victory in Greeneville on January 19 and the Trojans coming away with a 67-65 upset win in South Carolina on February 16.

All-time, Tusculum is 11-10 in the Food Lion SAC Tournament but is 7-2 over the last three years. The Pioneers have appeared in each of the last three SAC Tournament championship games, losing 76-74 to Wingate in 2008, falling 66-57 to Lenoir-Rhyne in 2009 and defeating Newberry 67-55 in the 2010 title game for their first-ever SAC crown.

While Anderson is making its SAC Tournament debut, it is no stranger to postseason success. The Trojans won the Conference Carolinas postseason title in each of the last two years, and has appeared in the NCAA Southeast Region tournament eight years in a row.

Wingate (17-9, 12-6 SAC) is the second seed and will host seventh-seed Catawba (15-13, 9-9 SAC) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Wingate and Catawba split their regular-season series, with Catawba winning 58-56 at home, while Wingate won 60-58 at home.

Lenoir-Rhyne (14-12, 11-7 SAC) is the third seed and will host sixth-seed Carson-Newman (13-15, 9-9 SAC) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Bears and the Eagles split their season series, with Carson-Newman winning 70-61 at Lenoir-Rhyne, while the Bears won 71-64 at Carson-Newman.

Newberry (16-10, 11-7 SAC) is the fourth seed and will host fifth-seed Mars Hill (17-9, 10-8 SAC) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The two teams split during the regular season, with Mars Hill winning 70-68 at Newberry, with Newberry winning 83-72 at Mars Hill.

Quarterfinal winners advance to the tournament semifinals, which will be held at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C. on Saturday, with games at Noon and 2:30 p.m. The Tusculum vs. Anderson winner will face the Newberry vs. Mars Hill winner at noon. The Wingate vs. Catawba winner will face the Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Carson-Newman winner at 2:30 p.m.

Sunday's women's championship will be at 2 p.m., and the SAC Tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

- SAC -

WOMEN
Wednesday, March 2
Food Lion SAC Tournament, Quarterfinals, Home of Higher Seed
No. 8 Anderson at No. 1 Tusculum, 7 pm
No. 7 Catawba at No. 2 Wingate, 6 pm
No. 6 Carson-Newman at No. 3 Lenoir-Rhyne, 7 pm
No. 5 Mars Hill at No. 4 Newberry, 6 pm

Saturday, March 5
Food Lion SAC Tournament, Semifinals, CVCC Arena, Hickory, NC
Anderson/Tusculum winner vs. Mars Hill/Newberry winner, Noon
Catawba/Wingate winner vs. Carson-Newman/Lenoir-Rhyne winner, 2:30 pm

Sunday, March 6
Food Lion SAC Tournament Championship, CVCC Arena, Hickory, NC
Semifinal winners, 2 pm