5 MAC Teams Take The Court In WNIT Action Tonight
Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) Bracket
MAC Women's Basketball Tournament Semifinals Schedule (Cleveland, OH)
Bucknell at Akron, 7:00 PM (Live Stream)
IUPUI at Central Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN3)
Marshall at Ohio, 7:00 PM (Live Stream)
Ball State at Iowa, 8:00 PM (Live Stream)
Eastern Michigan at Saint Mary's, 10:00 PM (Live Stream)
Bucknell Bison (24-7, 17-1 Patriot League) at Akron Zips (19-13, 11-7 MAC)
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What's Ahead
For the fifth time in the last seven seasons, Akron has garnered a postseason invitation as the Zips were selected to participate in the 2016 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). Akron will open tournament play hosting its first-ever home postseason tilt welcoming Bucknell to James A. Rhodes Arena for a 7 p.m. game on Thursday, March 17.
Zips' Postseason History
Akron is making its sixth postseason appearance in program history, all but one under head coach Jodi Kest. A year ago, the Zips traveled to Manhattan, Kan., for the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), where Akron dropped an 86-68 decision versus Kansas State. In 2014, the Zips reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time where Akron met Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., after qualifying for the WNIT in 2013 and the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) in 2010. The Zips are seeking their first-ever postseason triumph after dropping 84-55, 71-66, 67-61 and 76-65 setbacks at Purdue, Duquesne (WNIT), Wichita State (WBI) and Michigan State (WNIT) in 2014, 2013, 2010 and 1999, respectively.
Senior Class Atop Zips' All-Time Win List
Akron seniors Megan Barilla (Fairview Park, Ohio), Anita Brown (Warren, Ohio) and DiAndra Gibson (Ravenna, Ohio) move up the ladder on the Zips' list of all-time winningest classes in program history is now complete following Akron's 71-61 victory over Bowling Green on March 5. The Zips' win past the Falcons gave the trio their 85th career triumph to vault them over the 2014-15 senior class of Sina King, who held the all-time mark of 84 wins (2011-15). The trio now owns 87 career victories at Akron.
A Look at Bucknell
Bucknell (24-7) enters play this Thursday, March 17, having won 10 of its last 11 games following a 65-53 setback versus Loyola (Md.) in the semifinals of the Patriot League Championship on March 11. Sophomore Jacquie Klotz averages a team-high 16.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest, while junior Claire DeBoer is registering 15.9 points per tilt. Bucknell is posting 65.6 points per contest, while holding its opponents to a 58.5 scoring average. The Bison are connecting on nearly 43 percent (.429) of their shots from the field, while dialing long distance at a 34.6-percent clip.
Bucknell is ranked first in the Patriot League in rebounding defense (31.2) and rebounding margin (+8.7), while rating second in defensive rebounding (28.6), rebounding offense (39.9), three point percentage (.346), field goal percentage defense (.369), field goal percentage (.429) and scoring margin (+7.1).
Series History
Akron will be meeting Bucknell for the fifth time in program history with the Bison leading the all-time series, 3-1. In the last encounter between the two schools, Bucknell registered a 48-47 triumph past the Zips on Dec. 29, 2004 inside James A. Rhodes Arena.
IUPUI Jaguars (20-10, 11-5 Summit League) at Central Michigan Chippewas (22-10, 14-4 MAC)
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MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — The stage isn’t as big and the lights aren’t as bright, but the Central Michigan women’s basketball team is in the postseason with a chance to accomplish great things for the program. The Chippewas will play host to Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis in the opening round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament Thursday (7 p.m.) at McGuirk Arena.
After a heartbreaking overtime loss to Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game on Saturday -- a result that ended CMU’s quest for an NCAA Tournament bid – Chippewa coach Sue Guevara made her team aware that there was still plenty to play for.
A win over the Jaguars on Thursday would give CMU its first postseason tournament victory in program history.
“I talked to our players in Cleveland (after the loss to Buffalo) and explained to them that we still have an opportunity to accomplish a first for this program,” Guevara said. “We have to focus on the process of that and that is what I talked a lot about in practice.”
CMU (22-10) played the IUPUI (20-10) two years ago in the first round of the WNIT in McGuirk and fell, 72-64. The Jaguars place third in the Summit League at 11-5. They fell to Omaha in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament.
IUPUI finished the season second in the Summit League in scoring defense, allowing just 60 points per contest, and held its opponents to a 39.4 field goal percentage. Offensively, the Jaguars ranked No. 2 in the league with a 42.8 field goal percentage. Sophomore guard Danielle Lawrence leads the Jaguars offensively, averaging 13.2 point per game. Mikale Rodgers, a 6-foot-2 junior forward, averages 12.8 and leads IUPUI on the glass with seven rebounds a game.
The Chippewas claimed the MAC West crown this season and led the MAC in scoring (74.6 point per game), rebounding (43.9), field goal percentage (.424) and free throw percentage (.746).
Freshman guard Presley Hudson leads CMU in scoring with 14 points per game. She was also the MAC leader, and ranked sixth nationally, with an .890 free throw percentage. Sophomore Cassie Breen ranks as the league’s second-best 3-point shooter with a .404 clip from behind the arc. Forwards Tinara Moore (9.6) and Reyna Frost (9.3) rank third and fourth, respectively, in the MAC in rebounding. CMU junior Jewel Cotton earned co-Sixth Player of the Year honors, coming off the bench to average 9.0 points and 6.2 rebounds a game.
A win over IUPUI Thursday would set up a second-round matchup with either Northwestern or San Diego. Those two teams play Thursday in Evanston, Ill. The location of the second-round game is to be determined.
Marshall Thundering Herd (21-11, 9-9 C-USA) at Ohio Bobcats (24-6, 16-2 MAC)
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ALL TIME IN THE WNIT
- This is the first ever appearance in the WNIT for the Bobcats.
POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT HISTORY
- The Bobcats are 0-3 all time in postseason tournaments, with all three losses coming in the NCAA Tournament.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
- The Bobcats finished the regular season 24-6 and 16-2 in the MAC for se second-straight year.
- With a win against Bowling Green on March 2, the Bobcats clinched the number one seed and the MAC Regular Season title for the second-straight season.
- This is the first ever appearance for Ohio in the WNIT.
- Quiera Lampkins was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
- Kiyanna Black was named to the All-MAC First Team, Lampkins to the All-MAC Second Team and the MAC All-Defensive Team, andJasmine Weatherspoon was named to the All-Defensive Team.
- Back-to-back regular season titles is the first time in program history.
- Ohio is currently 51st in RPI and 7-2 against teams in the top-100 RPI.
- Senior Lexie Baldwin currently has 957 career points.
- Quiera Lampkins scored her 1,000th career point on Jan. 30 at Ball State, becoming the 15th member of the 1,000 point club.
- On Feb. 13 against Toledo, Kiyanna Black scored 38 points and hit a MAC and program tying 10 three pointers.
- Black currently has 115 made three-pointers, a new MAC and program record for threes made in a season.
- On Feb. 20 at Akron, Ohio scored 101 points, the first time they have scored at least 100 points in a MAC game since 1991.
- Black is currently second all-time in program history in scoring with 1, 724 points.
- Black is currently first in the nation on three-point field goals per game, averaging 3.83 a contest.
- On Jan. 16 against Central Michigan, Kiyanna Black scored a career-high 39 points, 34 points in the second half and in overtime, leading the Bobcats’ to an 86-84 come-from-behind victory on Athens. Black’s 39 points is the second most all time in a single game in program history.
- On Jan. 27 against Akron, the Bobcats set a new program record for blocked shots in a game with 14.
- Black has earned MAC East Player of the Week four times this season
- As a team, Ohio has blocked 151 shots, a new program record for shots blocked in a season.
- On Jan. 20 at Kent State, Ohio hit 17 three pointers, setting a new conference record of threes made in a MAC game.
- On Jan. 13 against Eastern Michigan, Jasmine Weatherspoon set a new program record with eight blocks in the game.
- The Bobcats started 9-0 in MAC play for the first time in program history.
- Lampkins has earned MAC East Player of the Week honors twice this season.
A WIN OVER MARSHALL WOULD...
- Give head Coach Bob Boldon his 61st win at Ohio.
- The 526th victory in program history.
- Be Ohio’s 25th win of the season.
- Give Ohio its third 25-win season in program history.
- Give Ohio its first win in a postseason tournament game in program history.
- Advance Ohio to the second round of the WNIT.
- Give Ohio its first WNIT victory.
ALL-TIME vs. MARSHALL
- This is the 40th all-time meeting against Marshall.
LAST TIME AGAINST MARSHALL
- Ohio and Marshall last met on Dec. 15, 2012 when Ohio defeated the Thundering Herd 55-48 in Huntington, W.Va.
- In that game, Erin Bailes scored 18 points, going 6-of-11 from the field and 6-of-8 from three-point range.
- Current senior Kiyanna Black scored 16 points, going 6-of-18 from the field and 1-of-7 from three-point range.
- Overall, Ohio shot 33.9% from the field and 38.1% from three-point range.
- The Bobcats registered 33 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 steals.
Ball State Cardinals (21-9, 13-5 MAC) at Iowa Hawkeyes (19-13, 8-10 B1G)
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- The Ball State women’s basketball team has earned an at-large bid to compete in the 2016 Postseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament that consists of 64 teams. The Cardinals will play at Big Ten foe Iowa Thursday at 8 p.m. (EST).
- Ball State will be making its fourth straight WNIT appearance, and seventh overall. The Cardinals went 1-1 in 2002 in its first WNIT postseason experience, beating Louisville (95-84) and then falling in the second round to Valparaiso (77-69). In 2003, the Cardinals defeated Indiana State (91-87) and then fell to Missouri (88-77). In 2007, the Cardinals fell at home to Kentucky (85-82). Ball State advanced to the final 16 in the WNIT in 2012-13 after taking down Big Ten foe Minnesota (54-51) and Northern Iowa (53-48) before the Cardinals lost to Kansas State (60-48). In 2014, Ball State fell 69-65 at Northwestern in the first round and then suffered a 69-58 loss at Middle Tennessee last season. Ball State is 4-6 all-time in the WNIT.
- This is the third time in four years the Cardinals will face a Big Ten opponent in Ball State’s first round of the WNIT. Ball State defeated Minnesota in 2013 by a score of 54-51. The Cardinals then fell 69-65 at Northwestern in the first round in 2014. The game Thursday marks the first-ever meeting between these two schools’ in women’s basketball. The Hawkeyes enter the game with a 19-13 overall record and went 8-10 in league action. The winner advances to face either Saint Louis or Little Rock for round two of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, March 19-22. The Cardinals defeated the Billikens at home 79-70 in non-conference action in December. Ball State has competed against one Big Ten opponent this season when it suffered a 73-63 loss on the road at Purdue, Dec. 13. The Cardinals are the first Mid-American Conference opponent Iowa has met this season.
- Ball State clinched its third automatic bye in four years as the third seed in last week’s Mid-American Conference Tournament and advanced straight to the quarterfinals, where they lost to No. 6 seed Eastern Michigan 67-53.
- In the last two seasons, head coach Brady Sallee has compiled a 14-8 record for the month of March. In 2013-14, the Cardinals began the month with wins over Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Toledo before heading into the MAC Tournament where they won four-straight before suffering a loss to Akron in the championship game. Ball Stat went 3-3 in the month of March in 2012-13, which included two win in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, advancing the Cardinals to the Final 16. Last season, Ball State began the month with wins over Central Michigan and Toledo before falling to Eastern Michigan in the semifinals of the MAC Tournament and Middle Tennessee in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
Eastern Michigan (21-11, 10-8 MAC) at Saint Mary's (24-7, 14-4 West Coast Conference)
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MORAGA, Calif. (EMUEagles.com) -- After winning 21 games and advancing to its fourth Mid-American Conference Tournament Semifinal in the last six years, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team was rewarded with a berth to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), announced Monday, March 14, by the tournament selection committee. The Eagles will open the Postseason WNIT with a game Thursday, March 17, in Moraga, Calif., against Saint Mary's College.
The Eagles (21-11, 10-8) come into the first round matchup after falling in the MAC semifinals, 86-71, March 11, at the hands of second-seeded Central Michigan. Meanwhile the Gaels (24-7, 14-4) are coming off a loss in the West Coast Conference semifinals last week. EMU garnered an at-large selection while St. Mary's earned an automatic bid after taking the top-seed into the WCC Tournament.
EMU IN THE POSTSEASON: The Eagles are 5-8 all-time in the postseason including a pair of victories over Drake and Tulsa in last season's run to the WNIT "Sweet 16." The Green and White's run to the round of 16 marked the second time since 2011 that EMU won it's first two games in the tournament.
MAC IN WNIT PLAY: Eastern Michigan is one of five Mid-American Conference schools participating in the 2015 Postseason WNIT. Including this season, 45 MAC teams have been selected to compete in the tournament, posting a 33-38 record since 1998. Toledo leads the way capturing the 2011 WNIT Championship by knocking off Southern California at Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio.
AGAINST THE WCC: In its 39 seasons, Eastern Michigan has only competed against a West Coast Conference institution once. The lone meeting pitted the Green and White against Santa Clara University, Jan. 2, 2003. SCU topped EMU by a final tally of 73-49 in the non-conference tilt.
THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: Thursday evening's first round clash marks the first meeting between the Eagles and Gaels all-time.
JETTING WEST: For just the second time in program history and first time in more than 25 years, the Eagles will play a game in the state of California. The Eagles hold a 3-2 record against teams hailing from California, with all but one meeting taking place outside of the state. The lone trip to the Golden State came during the 1990 campaign when Eastern Michigan defeated Cal. State Northridge 78-69, Dec. 29, inside the Matadome in Northridge, Calif.
THIS DATE IN EMU HISTORY: The Eagles will play on St. Patrick's Day for just the fourth time in program history, Thursday, March. 17, when they square off with St. Mary's in the opening round of the WNIT. Eastern holds a 1-2 record on the shamrock filled day, last competing on the date during the 2012 season. That season, the Green and White fell at the hands of South Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
