CALIFORNIA – The top of the table was set before the final weekend of play, but the race for the final four spots into the field of the 2018-19 CCAA Women's Basketball Tournament went down to the last buzzer. Now, the eight teams who will participate for the postseason crown have been set, led by No. 1 seed and undefeated squad UC San Diego.

The Tritons sit atop the brackets for the third-consecutive season after finishing off conference action unscathed and ranked No. 2 in the nation. UC San Diego will take on No. 8 seed San Francisco State in Tuesday's first-round game from RIMAC Arena. UC San Diego finished the regular-season a perfect 26-0 and 22-0 in CCAA contests, marking the first women's basketball team to play an undefeated conference slate since 1991-92 when Cal Poly Pomona went 12-0 in league games but recorded six losses on their overall record.

The Tritons won both matchups between the two this season, including posting one of two 100-plus point games in an early-season meeting in La Jolla. Under first-year head coach Natasha Smith, this marks San Francisco State's first postseason appearance since 2013, where the Gators were also seeded eighth.

No. 2 belongs to Cal Poly Pomona for the second straight year, as the Broncos play host No. 7 seed Sonoma State. Cal Poly Pomona has won their last four, and defeated the Seawolves in a pair of regular-season matchups, but both contests were single-digit victories. This marks the third straight season and the fourth in the last five years where the Broncos start the postseason at Kellogg Arena.

The third seed for the tournament is also a repeat of one year ago, as 2017-18 Tournament champions Humboldt State starts their tournament title defense at home against the No. 6 seed Cal State East Bay, a rematch of last year's first-round matchup. The Jacks and Pioneers met but once this season, as Humboldt State pulled away for a 21-point road win in January. In last year's first-round game, the result went down to the wire before Humboldt State prevailed 54-53 en route to their banner-winning tournament season.

The fourth and final first-round hosting spot belongs to Cal State San Marcos. The Cougars are enjoying their first women's basketball postseason appearance, and will face off against No. 5 Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Cougars and Toros split the season series one game apiece, making the mid-bracket matchup one that is sure to be competitive between the two Southland schools. Interestingly, this is the fourth straight women's tournament bracket which will see a pair from the south face off in the first round of play.

Teams Nos. 7 through 10 closed the regular-season slate with identical 9-13 conference records, with the ties broken as Sonoma State and San Francisco State squeaked out the final two spots in postseason field, leaving Cal State San Bernardino and Chico State narrowly missing the mark.

The winners of each of the four quarterfinals will travel to the campus of Cal State East Bay for the final two rounds of the conference championship. Tickets will be available at the Pioneer Gymnasium box office on gamedays, and general admission seating is $10. Students with a valid ID, seniors, members of the military and youth can purchase tickets for $5. Tournament Central >>>
 

2018-19 CCAA Women's Basketball Championship Schedule:

First Round – Tuesday, March 5 (campus sites – higher seed hosts) #1 UC San Diego vs. #8 San Francisco State at 5:30 p.m. #2 Cal Poly Pomona vs. #7 Sonoma State at 5:30 p.m. #3 Humboldt State vs. #6 Cal State East Bay at 7 p.m. #4 Cal State San Marcos vs. #5 Cal State Dominguez Hills at 5:30 p.m.

Semifinals – Friday, March 8 * 12:05 p.m. – winner of #2/7 vs. winner of #3/6 * 2:35 p.m. – winner of#1/8 vs. winner of #4/5

Final – Saturday, March 9 5:05 p.m. – Championship game

*times are subject to change; should the Cal State East Bay women advance to the semifinals, the Pioneers are guaranteed to play in Friday's 2:35 p.m. game, flip flopping the games in the session