Indiana South Bend Strong Favorite To Repeat Sweep In Women's Basketball

CHICAGO --- Indiana University South Bend is the strong favorite to repeat as both the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champion when the latter event tips off Tuesday night at four separate locations.

The Titans fell one game short of a perfect regular season, going 27-1 with the lone loss coming against Saint Xavier University (72-55) back on Feb. 14.  One year ago, IUSB was 25-2 heading into the postseason.

Governors State (23-5) enters the tournament as the hottest team having won six games in a row.  The Jaguars are the No. 2 seed after going 23-5 during the regular season.

Also hosting games on Tuesday will be No. 3 seed Saint Xavier University (16-11) and No. 4 Roosevelt University (16-12).  SXU hosts No. 6 Holy Cross College (15-13), while Roosevelt goes up against No. 5 Indiana University Northwest (16-11).

The other pairings have IUSB hosting No. 8 seed University of St. Francis (11-17) and No. 7 seed Olivet Nazarene University (14-14) at Governors State.

The four winners of Tuesday's matchups square off on Thursday in semifinal-round action with the championship game to be played on Saturday.  The higher seeds in each round host.

At stake is the conference's second automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round, which goes to the tournament champion.  Should Indiana South Bend also capture the tourney crown, Governors State would gain the other bid as the regular-season second-place team.

The complete schedule follows:

Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Game #1: No. 8 seed St. Francis (11-17) at No. 1 seed Indiana South Bend (27-1) --- 6 pm CT
Game #2: No. 5 seed Indiana Northwest (16-11) at No. 4 seed Roosevelt (16-12) --- 6 pm CT
Game #3: No. 7 seed Olivet Nazarene (14-14) at No. 2 seed Governors State (23-5) --- 6 pm CT
Game #4: No. 6 seed Holy Cross (15-13) at No. 3 seed Saint Xavier (16-11) --- 6 pm CT 

Thursday, February 29, 2024 (at site of highest remaining seed)
Game #5: Winner-Game #1 vs. Winner-Game #2 --- TBA
Game #6: Winner-Game #3 vs. Winner-Game #4 --- TBA 

Saturday, March 2, 2024 (at site of highest remaining seed)
Game #7: Winner-Game #5 vs. Winner-Game #6 --- TBA

For the complete bracket, go to Bracket.