SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference office has announced the seeding for the 2017 SoCon Women’s Basketball Championship presented by General Shale, which will begin Thursday, March 2, at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

Defending Southern Conference champion Chattanooga (18-10, 12-2 SoCon) earned the top seed over Mercer (23-5, 12-2 SoCon) per the league’s tiebreaking procedure. The Mocs will face No. 8 seed Western Carolina (8-21, 3-11 SoCon) in game one on Thursday at 11:30 a.m.

UNCG (16-13, 7-7 SoCon) and Furman (14-16, 7-7 SoCon) are slotted at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, and will face off in Thursday’s second game at 1:45 p.m. The two teams split contests in the regular season.

The Spartans, under the direction of first-year UNCG head coach Trina Patterson, claimed the fourth seed over the Paladins by virtue of the league’s tiebreaker policy.

Mercer is the No. 2 seed and will battle No. 7 Wofford (13-16, 3-11 SoCon) in game three of the first round at 4 p.m. The Bears enter the tournament riding a six-game winning streak.

The Terriers, who accomplished their first 13-win season under first-year head coach Jimmy Garrity since the 2011-12 season, earned the seventh seed over the Catamounts per the conference’s tiebreaking procedure.

No. 3 seed ETSU (16-13, 8-6 SoCon) and No. 6 seed Samford (11-18, 4-10 SoCon) are set to square off in the final first round game at 6:15 p.m.

Semifinal action will take place on Friday and the women’s championship game will tipoff on Sunday at 1 p.m.

All women’s basketball games will be held at the U.S. Cellular Center and are set to be broadcast on ESPN3. For more information, visit SoConSports.com.

2017 Southern Conference Women’s Basketball Championship presented by General Shale

U.S. Cellular Center ● Asheville, N.C.

Thursday, March 2

Game 1 – No. 1 Chattanooga vs. No. 8 Western Carolina, 11:30 a.m.

Game 2 – No. 4 UNCG vs. No. 5 Furman, 1:45 p.m.

Game 3 – No. 2 Mercer vs. No. 7 Wofford, 4 p.m.

Game 4 – No. 3 ETSU vs. No. 6 Samford, 6:15 p.m.

Friday, March 3

Game 5 – Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 11 a.m.

Game 6 – Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 1:15 p.m.

Sunday, March 5

Championship Game

Game 7 – Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 1 p.m.

NOTE: All times Eastern. All games to be broadcast on ESPN3.

-www.SoConSports.com-