SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- The No. 24 Eastern Oregon University women's basketball team faces No. 3 College of Ozarks today at 1 p.m. PST, in the national quarterfinals of the NAIA Div. 2 National Tournament.

Game 34: 6th-seed Eastern Oregon vs. 1st-seed College of Ozarks (31-3)
When: Saturday, March 9, 3 p.m. CST
Where: Sioux City, Iowa (Tyson Events Center)
Live Stats: EOUSports.com                    
Live Video: EOUSports.com
Live Radio: KUBQ 98.7 FM
Series: Eastern and College of Ozarks meet for the first time ever

GAME COVERAGE
Saturday's tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. PST. Live video and stats will be available on EOUSports.com. Live radio can be heard on KUBQ 98.7 FM. Video is available for a fee.

THE SERIES
* This will be the first ever meeting between College of Ozarks and Eastern Oregon.
* The Bobcats are making their 12th-straight appearance at the tournament, and 18th overall. C of O has never won the tournament, but placed second three times in 06, 07, 08.
* EOU makes the 32-team national field for the sixth time in school history, and second time in the past three years after participating in 2010.
* Ozarks boasts a 28-17 record at the tournament all-time.
* Since 2000, the Bobcats are 4-2 in the quarterfinal round. Lost last appearance in 2010.
* Eastern is 3-6 at the national tournament, with the lone win before this year coming in the 2008 first round over Cardinal Stritch.
* Each EOU national tournament appearance has been under Anji Weissenfluh.
* Eastern and Ozarks have no common oppnents this season.
* Overall in postseason play, EOU is 25-25.

QUICK HITS
• Eastern Oregon appears in the national quarterfinals for the first time in school history.
• The quarterfinal appearance equals the deepest either the EOU women or men basketball teams have gone. The 2007-08 Eastern men's team advanced to the quarterfinal round.
• The Mountaineers are the first team from the Cascade Conference to qualify for the quarterfinals since Albertson College made a run to the national championships in 2001.
• EOU has clinched its eighth 20-win season in the past 11 years.
• The Mountaineers' bench has been outscored only once by an opponent's bench this year.
• EOU is 10th in NAIA Div. 2 in scoring defense (56.7), 11th turnover margin (+4.2), 13th in scoring margin at 12.4, and 16th in assists per game (15.5) and rebound margin (15.9).
• The Mountaineers are 7-2 this season in games decided by five or less points.
• Eastern Oregon is 18-2 when leading at halftime, and 5-6 when trailing.
• When leading with 10:00 left in regulation, EOU is 20-1.
• The Mountaineers are 20-3 when opponents are held under 70 points.

ABOUT THE LADY CATS
College of the Ozarks has won 30 of its 33 games so far this season. The Lady Cats qualified for their 12th straight tournament after winning the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles. C of O went 14-0 in MCAC play this season. They started the year 6-0, and have won 22 straight games with their last loss coming on Dec. 30. Ozarks has yet to lose to an NAIA Div. 2 opponent this season, with its three losses to NAIA Div. 1 teams. College of Ozarks leads the nation in total assists (616) and assists per game (18.6). They are third in assist to turnover ratio and three-point field goal percentage defense (.255). C of O's 29.6 defensive rebounds per game is fifth in the nation. In all, the Lady Cats are in the national top 10 in 12 different statistical categories.

ABOUT THE C of O's LINEUP
Morgan Smith is 13th in the country averaging 19.36 points per game. The junior is shooting 44 percent from the field. The 6-0 center adds eight rebounds a contest. Kelsey Combs 4.2 assists per game is 17th in the nation. Maranda Vaught has the 16th most steals in NAIA Div. 2.

WHERE TO WATCH
Fans can come and watch EOU's basketball teams compete for free on a big screen at Mac's Grill, located on the first  floor of the Hoke Union Building on the Eastern Oregon campus. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at the Mountie Café located on the first floor of the Hoke Union Building. The Mac's Grill will serve as the watch party headquarters throughout the entirety of the tournaments, so however far the teams continue on; games can be viewed on the first  floor of Hoke for free. Off campus, the game can also be viewed for free at Benchwarmers Pub and Grill on Depot Street. The games will have live radio broadcasts on KUBQ 98.7 FM locally in La Grande, and live stats will be available on EOUSports.com.