Watch Party Set to See Lady Rangers in First NCAA II Women’s National Basketball Tournament Friday

March 10, 2026

Members of the NWOSU Lady Ranger Basketball team celebrating the GAC Tournament Championship

Watch Party Set to See Lady Rangers in First NCAA II Women’s National Basketball Tournament Friday

ALVA, Okla. – A local Watch Party at the Rialto Theatre in downtown Alva is set for Northwestern Oklahoma State University Lady Ranger Basketball fans who cannot make the trip to Mankato, Minnesota, for the game on Friday, March 13, at 2:30 p.m.

The women are the No. 7 seed in the Central Regional and will play No. 2 seed Concordia-St. Paul at the Taylor Center on the campus of Minnesota State University during the quarter-final round.

This is the team's first-ever NCAA Division II Women’s National Basketball Tournament game or any national contest appearance by Northwestern athletics teams since joining the NCAA Division II.

The Great American Conference’s No. 2-seeded Lady Rangers punched their ticket to the national tournament after winning the GAC Tournament Sunday in Fort Smith, Arkansas, against No. 5-seeded Southeastern Oklahoma State University in the championship game, 71-64, and earning an automatic bid. This is another history-making feat for any Ranger athletics team.

In the quarterfinal game on Thursday, the team defeated No. 6-seeded East Central University 66-65, and in the semi-final game on Saturday, defeated No. 3-seeded Arkansas Tech University 61-58.

Jesse Jones, local theatre owner, has offered the Rialto as a place for all Ranger fans to gather for the game. Admission is by donation only, with all proceeds helping the Lady Rangers purchase their conference championship rings.

Lady Ranger fans are welcome to gather early at the Rialto to get snacks, drinks and a seat to watch the game on the big screen.

For those unable to travel to the game or attend the local watch party, the link to view the tournament game is https://www.ncaa.com/game/6537990. Ranger fans can also listen live on KRDR 105.7 FM or online at www.alvaradio.com. 

The Lady Rangers’ last postseason appearance occurred during the 1998-99 season, when Northwestern was a member of the NAIA. Concordia-St. Paul earned its way into the tournament by defeating Minnesota State in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship. This will be the first meeting between the Lady Rangers and the Golden Bears.

Following Friday's quarterfinal round, the semifinals are on Saturday, March 14, and the regional title game is on Monday, March 16.

The Central Region champion will join seven other regional champions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the NCAA Division II Women's Elite Eight from March 24-28.