The Women’s National Invitation Tournament Selection Committee announced its 64-team field for the 2016 Postseason WNIT Tuesday which includes two teams from HBCUs; Bethune-Cookman and Southern.
B-CU (18-12) will travel to Fort Myers, Fla. to face Florida Gulf Coast (28-5) of the Atlantic Sun Conference in an opening round match Friday at 8:05 p.m. (CT). [lasso align=”right” cart=”y” height=”160″ identifier=”B008XUV6JS” locale=”US” src=”http://hbcusports.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/41tCoUm78OL.SL160.jpg” tag=”hbcusports-20″ width=”160″ ref=”amzn-bethune-cookman-maroon-t-shirt-wildcat-head-large” type=”image” id=”71839″ link_id=”4718″]
The post-season appearance marks the first in Wildcat history, as B-CU won a share of the programs first regular-season title on March 3.
FGCU fell 56-54 in the Atlantic Sun title game to No. 2 Jacksonville snapping a 21-game win streak overall, giving the Eagles their first loss against a conference opponent in 46 games.
Southern (19-11) will play Arkansas State (26-5) of the Sun Belt Conference Thursday in Jonesboro, Ark. at 7 p.m.
The Lady Jaguars gained entrance into the tournament after finishing the season in a three-way tie in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (becoming the second seed due to tiebreaker rules). [lasso align=”right” cart=”y” height=”120″ identifier=”B0081J2QRM” locale=”US” src=”http://hbcusports.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/41cTtz2BaT8L.SL160.jpg” tag=”hbcusports-20″ width=”160″ ref=”amzn-southern-university-jaguars-charm-pendant-solid-sterling-silver-with-enamel” type=”image” id=”71820″ link_id=”4719″]
ASU enters the tournament after falling to Troy during the Sun Belt basketball tournament.
Tournament officials award an Automatic Qualifying berth to each of the nation’s 32 conferences. The spot goes to the team that finishes the highest in the regular-season conference standings that does not advance to the NCAA Tournament. If there is a tie, the WNIT abides by the conference tiebreaker. A team earns the AQ berth regardless of its overall record. A total of 32 teams are then given an At-Large berth; a team must have an overall record of .500 or better to be considered.
