San Antonio — Knowing a bigger prize still remains, the euphoria has already begun to wear off of the Lady Rattlers’ victory on Saturday over Oklahoma Panhandle State in the Heartland Conference Tournament.

And late Sunday, St. Mary’s officially learned where its next step will begin, facing Washburn University in the opening round of the NCAA South Central Regional.

Washburn, the tournament’s top seed, plays host to St. Mary’s (17-12) on Friday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m. at Lee Arena in Topeka, Kan. The Lady Rattlers are the eighth seed.

Washburn (30-0), last season’s defending NCAA Division II champion, also enters the matchup riding a Division II record-tying 49 game-winning streak.

In the 2001-02 season — Paige Clawson’s first season as St. Mary’s head coach — the team enjoyed its finest year, advancing to the Sweet 16 before falling, 76-70, to Southeastern Oklahoma.

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