Missouri will play FGCU in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Tournament

Thanks to a loss to No. 18 Georgia in the SEC Tournament on March 2, Missouri (24-7, 11-5 SEC) fell to No. 17 in the latest AP Top 25 Poll. Still, the Tigers held out hope that they still had a chance to host in the NCAA Tournament.

On Selection Monday the players and coaches gathered at Mizzou Arena to find out whether they’d be hitting the road or staying put at home.

The verdict: Missouri is a 5-seed in the Lexington Region and will play against Florida Gulf Coast at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in Palo Alto, Cal.