The Gophers were not able to give Rachel Banham the send-off she hoped for, as they were left out of the NCAA women's basketball tournament when the field was announced Monday. But the fifth-year senior will get another chance to play in front of a home crowd, as the Gophers open the Women's National Invitation Tournament with a first-round game against Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Wednesday at Williams Arena. No time has been announced.
Five Big Ten teams — Maryland, Ohio State, Michigan State, Indiana and Purdue — were selected for the 64-team NCAA field. The Gophers (19-11, 11-7) finished fifth in the league, and as the highest finisher not to get an NCAA Tournament invitation, they received the conference's automatic bid to the 64-team WNIT.
Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern and Rutgers also will play in the WNIT.
A victory Wednesday would give the Gophers a second-round matchup against the winner of Wednesday's game between South Dakota and Creighton. Second-round games will be played Saturday through Thursday, and the tournament culminates with the championship on April 2.
All WNIT games, including the finals, will be played at campus sites.
"We are certainly disappointed about not having an opportunity to play in the big dance,'' Gophers coach Marlene Stollings said in a statement. "Our team knows we were extremely close and feels badly about not competing for our university and our community on that level.
"The good news for our team and fans is that we are not done yet. We are excited to be hosting the WNIT opener.''
