FRANKFORT, Ky.-The Belhaven women's basketball team is set to battle Westminster College (Utah) in the opening round of the 2012 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship presented by the Kentucky Department of Travel. The Blazers, ranked 17th in the Final NAIA Top 25 Poll, earned one of 17 automatic bids by winning the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship. Belhaven will tip-off against the Griffins on Wednesday afternoon at 12:45 PM Central Time in the Frankfort Convention in Frankfort, Ky.

Belhaven heads into its second national tournament appearance with an overall record of 26-6 and are one of four number five seeds in the championship. The Blazers go to Frankfort as the SSAC Champions, their first conference championship since winning the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference title in 1982. Belhaven appeared in the big dance for the first time in 2011 and fell to top seeded and eventual National Champion, Azusa Pacific University in the opening round.

Belhaven is led on offense by the nation's top scorer, senior guard Regena Jackson who averages an NAIA best 24.3 points per game. Jackson ranks in the top 20 nationally in seven different statistical categories including the top spot for points per game and total scoring (730 points). Jackson is seventh in free throw percentage (85.3), 15th in assists per game (4.5), is 16th in total assists (135), and 19th in both steals per game (2.8) and total steals (84). Jackson was named to the SSAC All-Conference Team and was selected as the conference Player of the Year and SSAC Tournament MVP. Jackson should also receive consideration for NAIA Player of the Year.

Joining Jackson in the backcourt is fellow senior guard Kiara Johnson. Johnson is averaging 9.1 points per game and combined with the defense prowess of Jackson, the two guards can wreck havoc on opposing offenses. Johnson has 80 steals coming into the national tournament and ranks 28th in the NAIA in total steals and 26th in steals per game (2.6). Johnson was also named to the SSAC All-Conference Team and All-Tournament team.

Junior guard Sarah Carr is one of the nation's best three point shooters entering the National Championship Tournament at number 23 in the country with 64 three pointers made. Carr holds the school record for most three pointers in season with 84, set during the 2010-11 campaign. Carr is second on the team in scoring at 9.5 points per game and is second in steals with 47. She was picked for the SSAC All-Division team. Jackson, Johnson, and Carr are major factors in Belhaven's national ranking of 7th in total steals (369).

In the paint, senior forward Portia Tucker is dropping in 9.2 points per game and is shooting 49 percent from the field. Tucker joined Carr on the SSAC All-West Division Team. Sophomore Ericka Leflore is Belhaven's leading rebounder, pulling down an average of 6.3 boards per game. Leflore also averages 6.2 points per contest and has 21 blocked shots. Senior forward Jessica Barlow has also been a big factor in Belhaven's success this season. Barlow is second on the team in rebounding (5.3 RPG) and converts 56 percent of her field goal opportunities (84 for 150). Barlow is also a solid defender with a team best 32 blocked shots.

As a team, the Blazers defense is holding opponents to just fewer than 60 points per game while recording 71.4 points per game. Belhaven is 26th and 25th in the nation in those two categories respectively.

Westminster is making its sixth trip to the NAIA National Championships and garnered one of four number four seeds in the tournament field. The Griffins are ranked 15th in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll, compiling an overall record of 22-8. Westminster was the regular season champion of the Frontier Conference and made the tournament field as one of 15 At-Large selections. The Griffins are 5-5 in their previous national tournament contests.

Westminster is led by junior guard Nicole Yazzie who rings up 13.2 points per game. Yazzie rarely misses at the charity stripe, converting 92.2 percent of her free throws ranking her second in the NAIA. Yazzie also possesses a team best 40 steals. Four Griffins average over 10 points per game with senior forward Dana Bates contributing 11.3 points per game, junior forward Cydney Tibbitts posts 10.5 points per game, and freshman guard Shelby Ellsworth checks in at just over 10 points per night. Tibbitts and Bates are the top two rebounders on the team averaging 7.2 and 6.4 rebounds respectively.

Senior guard Jenteal Jackson is a player the Blazers can't forget about. Jackson averages 8.8 points per game, but is fourth in the country in three point field goal percentage (42.6) and can hit the clutch shot when needed. She is also 10th in assist/turnover ratio (2.1) and 25th in assists per game (4.0).

Like Belhaven, Westminster brings an impressive defensive resume going to Frankfort, holding opponents to 54.7 points per game which puts them 11th in the nation in that category. The Griffins are also sixth in the country in defensive rebounds per game (32.3) and fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.1). Westminster's offense scores 66.7 points per game and shoots at a 41.4 percent clip from the field.

The winner will advance to the round of 16 and face either top seeded Oklahoma City or Our Lady of the Lake on Friday morning at 10:45. For all the latest up to date information on Belhaven's national tournament run click here.