Mansfield, Mass. - A stretch of eight wins in its final 11 games has the Adelphi University women's basketball team heading to the NE10 Tournament as the Southwest Division's No. 3 seed, the league announced the championship field Tuesday night.

After opening the season at 3-6, first-year head coach Sade Jackson coached the Panthers to a 9-5 finish following the holiday break.

The Brown and Gold possess one of the most hard-nosed defenses in the conference. Adelphi currently allows an average of only 61.0 points per game, which ranks among the top half of the NE10.

Additionally, the Panthers, led by Emily Miccile's league-leading 45 swats, have rejected the most shots in the conference with 114.blocks.

Adelphi will play Franklin Pierce University, the Northeast Division's No. 6 seed, in a first-round contest this Friday (Feb. 25) at 5:30 p.m. at the Center for Recreation and Sport.

The Panthers prevailed 68-67 in their regular-season meeting with the Ravens on Jan. 22. A drive to the bucket by Ty'zhea Hawkins with 1:23 left in regulation was the deciding factor in the game.

Adelphi has won its previous six decisions against Franklin Pierce, including its last postseason clash in 2016, when the Panthers won 72-65 in an NE10 Tournament first-round contest in Rindge, N.H.

Since the New Year, Miccile (14.9 ppg) and Hawkins (11.5 ppg) are both averaging double figures, while Rebecca Lee is shooting a team-high 49.0 percent from the field and is averaging an identical line of 6.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

A date with either Bentley University (Northeast Division's No. 2 seed) or University of New Haven (Southwest Division's No. 7 seed) in the quarterfinals awaits the winner of Friday's first-round game.

A winner will be crowned at the finals of the NE10 Championship on Sunday, Mar. 6. All tournament games will be hosted at higher seeds.

2021-22 NE10 Women's Basketball Championship Schedule (played at higher seeds)
First Round - Friday, Feb. 25
Game 1: #7 SW New Haven at #2 NE Bentley -  6:00 p.m. (to be determined following the men's games tonight)
Game 2: #7 NE Saint Michael's at #2 SW Pace - 7:00 p.m.
Game 3: #6 SW Saint Rose at #3 NE Stonehill - 5:30 p.m.
Game 4: #6 NE Franklin Pierce at #3 SW Adelphi - 5:30 p.m.
Game 5: #5 SW American International at # 4 NE Saint Anselm - 5:30 p.m.
Game 6: #5 NE Assumption at #4 SW Southern Connecticut – TBA

Quarterfinals - Sunday, Feb. 27
Game 7: Game 5 winner at #1 SW Le Moyne - 3:00 p.m.
Game 8: Game 6 winner at #1 NE Southern New Hampshire - 3:00 p.m.
Game 9: Game 1 winner vs. Game 4 winner (at highest remaining seed)
Game 10: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner (at highest remaining seed)
 
Semifinals - Thursday, Mar. 3
Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner (at highest remaining seed)
Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner (at highest remaining seed)

Championship - Sunday, Mar. 6
Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner (at highest remaining seed)