Florida State women's basketball will be a No. 9 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament and will face No. 8 Alabama at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, in the first round Friday.

Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. EST on ESPN2.

The two teams have met 10 times, with each winning five games, according to FSU's media guide.

FSU won the last matchup 68-61 in 2010-11.

FSU (23-10) and Alabama (23-9) are in the same bracket with No. 1 Texas (30-4) and No. 16 Drexel (18-14).

The Longhorns last earned a No. 1 seed 20 years ago.

The group is playing in the Portland 4 regional.

FSU has not won a game in the NCAA Tournament since the 2018-19 season.

"Really, the biggest focus this week has been on winning that first game," FSU coach Brooke Wyckoff told the media, including the Osceola, following the team's Watch Party Sunday at the Tucker Civic Center.

"That's what we want to do. That's our goal. We haven't done that in the last few years."

South Carolina is the tournament's overall No. 1 seed after going 32-0 in the regular season and winning the SEC tournament. The other No. 1 seed, in addition to Texas, is USC.

Alabama women's basketball coming off best season under coach Curry

Alabama is coming off its best year under 11th-year coach Kristy Curry and making its 13th NCAA appearance.

Alabama also finished with 10 conference wins for the first time since the 1997-98 season, and its third consecutive 20+ win season for the first time since the 1990s.

Alabama is led by seniors Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye.

Barker was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection, averaging 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. She also registered 20 games with 20-plus points.

Nye, a second-team All-SEC selection, averaged 14 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

Alabama will be looking to rebound from a poor showing in the SEC Tournament. The No. 4 Crimson Tide fell to No. 5 Tennessee 83-61 in the quarterfinals.

Florida State looks to build on its strong regular season finish

FSU is coming off its second straight season of finishing 12-6 in the ACC, which tied the SEC with the most NCAA Tourney bids for a conference at eight.

It was also a season where the Seminoles finished above .500 for the 10th straight year.

The Seminoles are making their 22nd NCAA appearance all-time, 11th consecutive and will be a No. 9 seed for the second time in program history

Unlike last season, FSU is entering the NCAA Tournament play 100% healthy.

Leading scoring Ta'Niya Latson, who is averaging 21.3 points, missed last year's tourney with an injury.

"To know that we have our full contingent of what we've played with all season and everybody is feeling good and healthy is huge for us," Wyckoff said.

"I really feel like we're in a great place as a team."

The Seminoles also are entering on a nice run, winning six of their last eight games.

FSU made its first ACC semifinal appearance since 2020 after upsetting No. 3 Syracuse in its opening game. However, the Seminoles were eliminated by No. 2 N.C. State 69-43.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU vs. Alabama in March Madness, 2024 Women’s NCAA Tournament