RICHMOND, Va. – The No. 17-ranked West Liberty University women will be facing a different opponent but a familiar challenge on Friday when they open the 2016 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament with a noon tipoff against Shaw (N.C.) at the 6,000-seat Arthur Ashe Center.

Coach Lynn Ullom and his No. 3-seeded Lady Hilltoppers (27-4) have never met No. 6 Shaw (24-7) on the basketball court but this isn't the first NCAA dance for the veteran coach and his senior-laden squad.

This is the third straight regional tournament bid for the two-time defending Mountain East Conference champions and the 14th in their coach's quarter-century at the helm. Ullom, who picked up his 500th career win earlier this season, believes that tournament experience is a big plus for his team.

"Last year's tournament especially is something we can draw on," Ullom said. "We had a good overtime win against a nationally-ranked team in the quarterfinals and then played the eventual national champion (California, Pa.) pretty much dead even on their home court in the semifinals. That tells us if we come in here and play the way we're capable of playing, we have the ability to make a serious run in this year's NCAA Tournament."

West Liberty is led by a senior trio of 1,000-point scorers and first-team All-MEC standouts – the first time in school history that the Hilltoppers have had three first-team all-league performers.

Kiki Simpson, a dominant 5-11 post, was voted MEC Player of the Year. The first MEC woman ever to surpass the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound career milestone, Simpson averages 13.6 points and 13.2 rebounds. She leads the nation in field goal percentage while ranking among the top four nationally in rebounds, blocked shots and double-doubles.

Kailee Howe, a 5-10 point guard, leads the nation in assists for the second straight year and needs just four more assists to become the first woman in NCAA Division II history with back-to-back 300-assist seasons. She's had 15 double-figure assist games this season and averages 14.1 ppg., highlighted by a 41-point explosion in a January blowout of Charleston.

Liz Flowers, a 5-8 shooting guard, is the leading active scorer in women's D2 basketball with 2,044 career points – putting her third among West Liberty's all-time leading scorers. She also led the MEC in 3-pointers with her second straight season of 100 or more bonus bombs while posting 15 games of 20 or more points and four games with 30 or more.

The All-MEC senior trio has combined for 4,437 points, 2,326 rebounds, 1,298 assists, 406 blocks and 377 steals during their time on the hilltop. Add in fellow senior Jasmin Kiley, an 800-point scorer who has been limited by injuries this season but provides instant offense off the bench, and WLU isn't lacking for experience or firepower.

Rounding out the starting lineup are versatile 5-8 junior guard Emily Bucon (8.3 ppg., 5.0 rpg.) and 5-9 freshman guard Johnie Olkosky (9.1 ppg., 4.3 rpg.).

"My greatest hope," Ullom said, "is that we can put everything together and do something really special for a very special senior class and a very special team."

Like West Liberty, Shaw has an extensive NCAA Tournament resume. Coach Jacques Curtis' Bears missed the postseason a year ago but that doesn't happen often. This is their fifth NCAA Tournament bid in the past six years and their 12th overall, including a run to the 2012 NCAA Division II national championship.

"This isn't their first rodeo either," Ullom said. "They have a great tradition but they also have a lot of experience with four senior starters. They have really good length and athleticism. They're extremely well-coached and they're used to winning at this time of year. We definitely need to rise to the challenge."

Shaw is led by the inside-outside combo of 6-3 senior post Eboni Ross, who's averaging a double-double with 13.5 points and 10.2 rebounds a game, and 5-4 All-CIAA senior guard Kaula Jacks, who averages 12.9 points and 4.8 rebounds a night. Rounding out the starters are 5-3 senior sharpshooter Tabatha Anderson (8.4 ppg., 2.4 rpg.), 5-8 senior wing Fantasha Tyson (6.9 ppg., 2.9 rpg.) and 5-8 senior forward Laquisha Taylor (8.5 ppg., 5.6 rpg.).

Both teams have been playing well down the stretch. West Liberty had won 11 straight before being upset by Wheeling Jesuit in the MEC Tournament championship game. Shaw had won 14 of its last 15 before dropping a 70-66 nail-biter to No. 8-ranked – and regional tournament host – Virginia Union in the CIAA Tournament final.

The West Liberty/Shaw winner advances to Saturday's 5 p.m. semifinal against the winner of Friday's2:30 p.m. quarterfinal between defending national champion California, Pa. (24-5) and No. 7 seed Chowan, N.C. (20-8).

2016 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball

Atlantic Region Tournament

 (at Richmond, Va.)

Regional Quarterfinals

No. 3 WEST LIBERTY (27-4) vs. No. 6 Shaw (24-7), noon

No. 2 California, Pa. (24-5) vs. No. 7 Chowan (20-8), 2:30 p.m.

No. 1 Virginia Union (25-2) vs. No. 8 Indiana, Pa. (21-8), 6 p.m.

No. 4 Wheeling Jesuit (26-5) vs. No. 5 West Chester (21-7), 8:30 pm

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Regional Semifinals

WEST LIBERTY/Shaw winner vs. California/Chowan winner, 5 pm

Virginia Union/Indiana winner vs. Whg. Jesuit/West Chester winner, 7:30 p.m.

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Regional Championship

Saturday's winners, 7 p.m.