WNIT 2021 = 32 teams [merged thread] | Page 3 | The Boneyard

WNIT 2021 = 32 teams [merged thread]

To me the most intriguing first round games are in the Ft. Worth region on Friday:

Rice–Arizona State
Fresno State–Missouri
Cal Baptist–New Mexico

UNM's NET ranking (54) is more than 100 spots higher than the (by far) best team CBU has played all season (Grand Canyon, #163).
 
Based on how they finished down the stretch, I consider Ole Miss the clear favorite of the Memphis region. They may play the winner of an Intriguing potential 2nd-round matchup between former Big 12 foes Colorado and Nebraska.

In the Rockford IL region, on paper it should be Dayton and Bowling Green facing off in the second round, but Creighton is a streaky team that may have something to say about that. DePaul is the theoretical favorite in the bottom half of the region, but who knows with their poor play of late.

Would love to see Villanova do well in the Charlotte region, and they have a decent draw.
 
I mean, if Butler can beat DePaul, St. Louis should handle them no problem. That's practically a cupcake matchup! A dream!
 
Rooster C. said:
Well....Miami did not have a losing record....and they beat FSU, Wake Forest(when it was a must-win for them) and Clemson twice! A slightly higher NET but they lost a close game at Louisville by only 3 and beat NC twice as well as having a better conference record so.....
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Do we know that Miami didn't decline a bid? I have a feeling they were offered.
 
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Go Devils! Delighted for CTT and her young team to get an invite although Rice might be a tall order.

The Cal Baptist - New Mexico game should be super fun.
 
Plebe said:
How did they not get an NCAA at-large, with those huge marquee wins over Dayton and Bradley :)
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Maybe if they had made it to the conference championship game they would have gotten an invite. I doubt if they had gotten far.
 
donalddoowop said:
Maybe if they had made it to the conference championship game they would have gotten an invite. I doubt if they had gotten far.
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Only if they had gone completely undefeated otherwise, and even then it would be only barely a maybe. The A-10 offered next to nothing in the way of quality wins. The road win at Dayton was as good as it gets and they're only in the 70s of NET.
 
Honestly I believe the WNIT shouldn't be happening this year with COVID. I am not shocked MSU turned down the bid, they are just ready for this year to be over.

Austin could be the best player in the WNIT. I understand why Ole Miss accepted it, it's growth for their program given where they have been.
 
UConnCat said:
Streak of 24 straight NCAA tournaments is over.
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An extremely impressive feat matched by few. I've never loved the Domers, but as a wise man once said, be nice on the way up because you'll meet them on the way down. Muffet wisely got out before she had the make the return trip.
 
TheFarmFan said:
An extremely impressive feat matched by few. I've never loved the Domers, but as a wise man once said, be nice on the way up because you'll meet them on the way down. Muffet wisely got out before she had the make the return trip.
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Wisely? More like cowardly. When the going got tough then Muffet ... folded up her cheap secondhand tent and skedaddled. Quite ironic just one year after all her posturing and grandstanding as the next Susan B Anthony.

Muffet-Animated.gif
 
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TheFarmFan said:
An extremely impressive feat matched by few. I've never loved the Domers, but as a wise man once said, be nice on the way up because you'll meet them on the way down. Muffet wisely got out before she had the make the return trip.
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I get the no love lost for ND on the board here and can't say I was a fan on Easter 2018 but Muffet built a great program. I was a fan of Diggins and loved how fearlessly she played. The games with UConn when she was in uniform reminded me of the old UT/UConn rivalry and they were fun to watch.

Whatever happened that caused McGraw to step away when she did knocked them down a bit, but unlike my alma mater ND has incredible academic reputation, resources, and this impressive history that will keep them relevant. I anticipate the Irish will be back to being among the better programs in the next three years.
 
Plebe said:
Wisely? More like cowardly. When the going got tough then Muffet ... folded up her cheap secondhand tent and skedaddled. Quite ironic just one year after all her posturing and grandstanding as the next Susan B Anthony.

View attachment 65894
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Excellent point. She made some comment while still coaching she would only hire female assistants. So in her role as a ambassador at Notre Dame how wide is her hiring reach?
 
Can't wait for @Shades to put up polls on the first round games for the tournament.

Clearly the most interesting first round game will be Cal Baptist versus New Mexico.

Both teams can really score. Cal Baptist closed down Grand Canyon in their tournament championship final while New Mexico seems to have some funk in their offense. As go the Duff twins so goes the wandering Lobos.

www.santafenewmexican.com

Lobos, snubbed by NCAA, head to WNIT instead

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team accepted a bid to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament and will begin play in the field of 32 later this week.
www.santafenewmexican.com www.santafenewmexican.com
 
Last edited:
The ASU - Rice game appears to pit two teams whose records may not be reflective of their current state of play.

Rice had a 13 game winning streak before ending the last four games of the season 2 and 2 one of the victories a two-point squeaker over 13-11 Old Dominion in the conference semi-final.

The Devils led the Pac-12 in offensive rebounding and were 11th in the nation. Perhaps understandable giving their extraordinarily poor shooting.

Rice also hits the board with a plus 6 in this category. Looks like rebounding maybe the difference in this game.

Get a preview of the Arizona St Sun Devils vs. Rice Owls basketball game. Arizona St vs. Rice - Game Preview - March 19, 2021 - ESPN
via @ESPN App http://espn.com/app
 
Plebe said:
Only if they had gone completely undefeated otherwise, and even then it would be only barely a maybe. The A-10 offered next to nothing in the way of quality wins. The road win at Dayton was as good as it gets and they're only in the 70s of NET.
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No, no, no. If they had won the conference they would have received an automatic bid. Over half of SLU's games were cancelled. They went 41 days without playing a game. So, I think they did fairly well considering the circumstances.
 
Plebe said:
Do we know that Miami didn't decline a bid? I have a feeling they were offered.
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We don't....but Miami has a history under Meier of always accepting. Perhaps her recent run of consecutive NCAAT appearances (not counting last year of course) has made her feel differently about it or maybe covid concerns were an issue (Miami was one of only a few teams in the ACC not to have a covid pause). I got the sense at the end of 2018 that she wanted to elevate the program and was no longer going to "coddle" players.
 
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thesundevils.com

Game notes for ’s WNIT opener vs. Rice - Arizona State University Athletics

The Sun Devil women's basketball team (11-10, 6-9 Pac-12) opens play in the 2021 Postseason WNIT against Rice (18-4, 12-2 C-USA) on Friday at 11 a.m. CDT/9 a.m.
thesundevils.com thesundevils.com

Wonder how CTT defends Nancy Mulkey

WHAT: WNIT First Round – Sun Devil WBB (11-10, 6-9 Pac-12) vs. Rice (18-4, 12-2 C-USA)
WHEN: Friday at 9 a.m. MST/11 a.m. CDT
WHERE: Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center • Fort Worth, Texas
WATCH: FloHoops.com ($)
RADIO: KAZG 1440 AM
LIVE STATS: Click here
 
azfan said:
thesundevils.com

Game notes for ’s WNIT opener vs. Rice - Arizona State University Athletics

The Sun Devil women's basketball team (11-10, 6-9 Pac-12) opens play in the 2021 Postseason WNIT against Rice (18-4, 12-2 C-USA) on Friday at 11 a.m. CDT/9 a.m.
thesundevils.com thesundevils.com

Wonder how CTT defends Nancy Mulkey

WHAT: WNIT First Round – Sun Devil WBB (11-10, 6-9 Pac-12) vs. Rice (18-4, 12-2 C-USA)
WHEN: Friday at 9 a.m. MST/11 a.m. CDT
WHERE: Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center • Fort Worth, Texas
WATCH: FloHoops.com ($)
RADIO: KAZG 1440 AM
LIVE STATS: Click here
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I had half a mind to road-trip up to Fort Worth for what would likely be my only live viewing of this basketball season, but I ain't getting there at 11 a.m.
 
Plebe said:
I had half a mind to road-trip up to Fort Worth for what would likely be my only live viewing of this basketball season, but I ain't getting there at 11 a.m.
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Lol. There's a full slate of games isn't there. You could meander up in the afternoon.

The nightcap will be the best women's basketball game tomorrow. I sure wish I could go to see Cal Baptist in New Mexico play.
 
Looks like Colorado is cruising against Louisiana. Up 20+ in Q4.

I see there are game threads for several but not all of the games today. Here's some scores from Day 1.

Delaware 77
Fordham 49

Rice 48
Arizona St. 36

Northern Iowa 70
Dayton 56

Nebraska 72
Tennessee-Martin 46

Clemson 65
Ohio 60
 
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Not finals yet but it looks like Creighton will beat Bowling Green and Missouri will beat Fresno St.
 
2ND ROUND

Ft Worth
Rice vs Mizzou/Fresno
SF/Hou vs CBU/NM

Charlotte
Delaware v Clemson
Charl/Fla v UMass/Vill

Memphis
Nebraska v Colorado
Sam/Miss v Tul/IllSt

Rockford
N Iowa v Creighton
StL/Dep v Milw/Drake
 
Don't know what's going on. Mizzou was up 9 w/ about 4 minutes to go, looks like the score got frozen on ESPN. Then it showed Fresno St. winning by 3. Now it shows 7 seconds left.

edit--now it's back to final. Big rally for Fresno St., outscored Mizzou 26-13 in Q4. 78-75 final.


Creighton 72
Bowling Green 65

Colorado 68
Louisiana 45
 
Fresno St’s late comeback against Missouri gives the mid-majors a 2-3 record vs. the non-midmajors (Nebraska beat UT Martin, Creighton beat Bowling Green, and Clemson beat Ohio; while Rice beat ASU).

interestingly Mizzou is the first of the four teams with sub-.500 records in the WNIT to lose. Two already won today (Creighton and Clemson), and Florida plays at Charlotte tonight.

These two patterns, taken in conjunction and especially in view of the neutral court format, do little to support the commonly heard myth that mid majors don’t get a fair shake from the NCAA selection committee.
 
I was trying to see any kind of pattern based on the results so far, and not really finding it.
 
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