South Dakota State to Face Notre Dame, Florida Gulf Coast, South Florida in Cancun Challenge

After a first-ever trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, the South Dakota State women's basketball team is already planning on facing some of the sport's best in November.

The Jackrabbits will be part of the 2019 Women's Cancun Challenge, where they'll play a former national champion and two other teams that played in the postseason in the 2018-19 season.

The marquee match-up of the three-day event for SDSU will be a November 29 game with Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish won the NCAA Tournament in 2018 and finished runner-up to Baylor in the 2019 tournament. It will be the third meeting between the two schools. Notre Dame has won the previous two games with the Jackrabbits.

SDSU opens the tournament with a game Thanksgiving Day (November 28) against the University of South Florida, a team that advanced to the second round of the 2019 WNIT. It will be the first meeting between the schools.

The Jackrabbits will play their third game in three days when they face Florida Gulf Coast, November 30.

The Eagles won the Atlantic Sun Conference title last season, qualifying for their fifth NCAA Tournament in the last six years. SDSU and FGCU have played each of the last two regular seasons with each team winning on their home floor.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

• Thursday, November 28
  South Dakota State vs. South Florida, 10:00 AM CT
  Florida Gulf Coast vs. Notre Dame, 12:30 PM CT
• Friday, November 29
  Notre Dame vs. South Dakota State, 10:00 AM CT
  South Florida vs. Florida Gulf Coast, 12:30 PM CT
• Saturday, November 30
  South Florida vs. Notre Dame, 10:00 AM CT
  South Dakota State vs. Florida Gulf Coast, 1:30 p.m. ET