The Viking girls' basketball team opens the Cape Fear Valley (CFV) Conference Tournament tonight in Union Pines' Bob Ward Gymnasium, as they host the Gray's Creek Bears in the opening round at 7 p.m.

After finishing the CFV regular season at 10-4, the Vikes (17-7 overall) earned a second seed via their sweep of three-seed Overhills (18-5, 10-4) during league play. As the seven seed, Gray's Creek enters tonight's contest with a league mark of 3-11 and an overall record of 7-17.

Coming off their first two-game losing streak of the year, the Vikings will look to steady the ship as they take the floor in the first-round matchup.

Union Pines claimed victories in each of the teams' first two encounters during CFV competition. In the third conference game of the season the Vikes defeated the Bears 53-33 at Gray's Creek behind a 23-point performance from junior guard Alishia Mosley. She also had seven rebounds, four steals and four assists in the game. Two-and-a-half weeks ago the Vikings dealt Gray's Creek a 45-27 loss at Union Pines. Again it was Mosley who led the Vike attack in the conference clash. She connected on her first seven attempts in the contest, to finishing the night nine of 12 from the field with 21 points, while amassing 10 rebounds.

Elsewhere around the league, top seed and regular-season champion Western Harnett (24-0, 14-0) entertains eight-seed Harnett Central (5-17, 2-12); the fourth seeded Triton Hawks (12-10, 8-6) hosts five-seed South Johnston (11-13, 5-9). The third-seeded Overhills Jaguars (18-5, 10-4) entertains six-seed Southern Lee (4-18, 4-10.)