Selection Monday

By March 12, 2012

Arkansas coach Tom Collen has lead the women's basketball team to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since he took over as head coach in 2006. The Razorbacks will find out their tournament seed and game location Monday Night on ESPN's Selection Show. Photo by Logan Webster.

Arkansas can finally shift into tournament mode.

The Razorbacks will find out their NCAA Tournament seed and opponent tonight when the bracket is unveiled at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

“You work hard for a good seed,” Arkansas coach Tom Collen said. “We’re optimistic we can get a good seed. It would be nice to not play an opposing team on their home floor.”

As of Sunday night, ESPN projected Arkansas as a No. 6 seed playing No. 11seed Gonzaga, a seeding Collen said he would agree with.

“I think we’ve played a great schedule,” Collen said. “We’ve got six wins over top 40 teams in the country.”

Little Rock is one of the sites for NCAA regionals, but Arkansas has no control over where it gets sent.

“You don’t get much choice,” Collen said. “You never know what the committee is going to do. The vast majority of the host sites are teams in the tournament.”

The Razorbacks crushed SIU-Edwardsville on Thursday 75-37 to cap off their regular season behind senior guard Lyndsay Harris and sophomore forward Kiera Peak, who both had 12 points.

“I think we’re pleased with the momentum we’ll be taking into the NCAA tournament,” coach Tom Collen said. “We prepared for it. We played really well.”

Arkansas will be healthy entering the tournament. Sophomore forward Dominique Robinson missed the SIU-Edwardsville game with an injury, but is expected to be ready by the first round game, Collen said.

This will be the first trip to the NCAA Tournament for any of the Razorbacks players.

“I think they’re excited about it,” Collen said. “They’ve played against quality opponents. They know they’re going to play against quality opponents. I don’t think they’re content just being in the tournament. They want to advance in the tournament. I think my team is hungry to play and win.”