While it may not have been the ultimate goal for the Penn State women’s basketball team, the Lady Lions are playing in the postseason this year. Penn State was selected to be the top seed in this year’s Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament and will host George Mason in the first round.
Penn State was not selected to play as an at-large team in this year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament following their blowout loss to Iowa in the Big Ten tournament. Penn State was also passed over for a spot in the women’s NIT. So instead, the postseason will continue as the Lady Lions participate in the first-ever WBIT.
The WBIT is sponsored by the NCAA and teams hosting games will not have to foot the bill as they did in the past with the women’s NIT. Penn State is one of four no. 1 seeds in the tournament, joining James Madison, Villanova, and Washington State. Miami was slated to be a no. 1 seed but declined the invitation (James Madison took its place). In all, there are 32 teams in the WBIT. The top 16 teams were seeded by overall performance from the regular season and the remaining 16 teams were placed based on geography as the primary factor. Illinois is the only other Big Ten team in the WBIT this year.
Penn State will host George Mason on Thursday, March 21. Should Penn State win, they will then host the second-round matchup against the winner of a game between Ball State and Belmont. If Penn State should make it to the Final Four of this tournament, they will head to Indianapolis for the semifinals (and potentially the finals) to be played in Hinkle Fieldhouse. If the no. 1 seeds hold, Penn State would face Villanova in the Final Four of the WBIT.
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