The pairings for the 23rd annual South Central Bank Lady Invitational of the South basketball tournament have been announced and several interesting match-ups highlight the opening round.

The tournament tips at 9:30 a.m. (CST) on December 27th as the defending tournament champions, Franklin-Simpson, will meet up-and-coming Smith County (TN). Franklin-Simpson finished 25-5 last year, advancing to the quarter-finals of the state tournament. Smith County posted a 19-13 record.

The 11:00 a.m. game will be a battle of 20-game winners from last season. Hart County, a Fifth Region mainstay, was 21-11 while White House Tennessee had a 20-9 worksheet. The 12:45 p.m. game will have Adair County (16-12) battling Sixth Region power Butler (24-8). Lyon County, a rising power in the Second Region, (22-8) and Nelson County (24-6) from the Fifth Region will tip at 2:15 p.m.

The bottom half of the 16-team bracket gets underway at 4:00 p.m. as Monroe County, 30-3 last year, meets Meade County, a third region school that finished 20-10 last season. Monroe County is the reigning Touchstone Energy All “A” Classic state champions.

Two state tournament teams last year face off at 5:30. Red Boiling Springs (TN) recorded an impressive 30-7 worksheet. The Lady Bulldogs reached the final eight of the Class "A" Tennessee state tournament. Their opponents will be Iroquois, a final four participant at the Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls Sweet Sixteen® Basketball Tournament. Iroquois, the defending Sixth Region champions, finished the year at 27-9.

The final two games of the day start at 7:00 p.m. Allen County-Scottsville (11-15) battles third region foe Edmonson County (14-10) followed by Gallatin (TN), 11-17 last year, against 15th Region power Johnson Central (19-11) in the 8:30 night cap.

The 2006 South Central Bank Lady Invitational of the South includes five first-time tournament participants: White House (TN), Adair County, Lyon County, Red Boiling Springs (TN), and Johnson Central.

Second round action will follow on December 28th starting with consolation bracket games and followed by quarterfinal action. Games continue on December 29th will the finals scheduled for December 30th.

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