North Georgia fans asked to send women's basketball team off on Thursday

DAHLONEGA -- The 23rd University of North Georgia women's basketball team is preparing for the NCAA National Southeast Regional in Hickory, N.C., with the Nighthawks scheduled to depart the UNG campus at 9 a.m. Thursday in front of Memorial Hall.

Parents, fans, alumni, faculty and staff, and the community are welcome to send off the Nighthawks to their first-ever NCAA postseason appearance. The team bus will depart campus at 9:00 AM with fans asked to come and show support for the team as they embark on school history.

North Georgia (22-6), seeded fourth in the eight-team event, will take on a familiar foe in 5th-seeded Columbus State who is fresh off winning the Peach Belt Conference Tournament. Game time has been set at 8:30 PM from L-RU's Shuford Memorial Gymnasium.

Ticket prices will be $10 per two-game session with children under 12 and student ticket prices set at $5 per session.

The NCAA tournament appearance is the first ever for the UNG women's basketball program. The Nighthawks are on the heels of an impressive 22-6 campaign in which the team was ranked in the NCAA Division II USA Today Coaches' poll for eight consecutive weeks.