LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates College women's basketball team, which is riding a school record nine-game winning streak, has earned a first-round bye in the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball tournament.

The Bobcats (21-3) will host Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference champion Salem State College (23-4). The Lady Vikings defeated Clark University, 89-76, on Wednesday night. The second-round game will be played Sat. March 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets will cost two dollars.

Bates has improved its win total for each of the past three seasons under coach Jim Murphy '69. The team went 10-0 in games in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, the only perfect team in the first season of round-robin play. Four Bates players average double figures in scoring and four players average 6.5 rebounds per game. Sophomore Emily King (Lebanon, N.H.) leads the team with 17.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Junior captain Colleen McCrave (Walpole, Mass.) is among the top ten NCAA Division III statistical leaders with 6.8 assists and 5.3 steals per game.

"I think it's the most exciting thing to happen to women's basketball at Bates College," said Murphy. "Having played on the road last season and with the way we play at home (8-1 record), it should be a great game."

In the other half of the Northeast bracket, Western Connecticut State University (21-6) will face Middlebury College (20-4) in the first round, with the winner facing the Univ. of Southern Maine (25-2).

Click here for the Bobcats' most up-to-date stats.

Click here for a game-by-game review of the regular season

Click here for the full tournament bracket, courtesy Division III Basketball On-line.