Women’s basketball to participate in Preseason WNIT

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Middle Tennessee women’s basketball team, coming off its 15th NCAA Tournament berth, will make an appearance as one of 16 schools in the 2012 Preseason WNIT it was announced Tuesday by Triple Crown Sports. It marks the Blue Raiders’ third time participating in the prestigious tournament, and first since 2008.

“We are excited about the opportunity to play some of the best teams around the country so early in the season,” head coach Rick Insell. “We have been guaranteed to play host to a couple games inside the historic Murphy Center to give our fans a glimpse at our team and quality opponents.”

In addition to Middle Tennessee in the 16-team field, other schools in this year’s event include Davidson, Delaware, Duquesne, Georgetown, Grambling, Illinois State, Iowa, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Memphis, Morehead State, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, Sacred Heart and Sam Houston State.

The tournament bracket will be unveiled next Tuesday, July 17.

The Blue Raiders’ last competed in the event in 2008, posting a 2-1 record to start the campaign. They defeated Lafayette and Indiana at home and fell at No. 2 Oklahoma, the eventual Preseason WNIT runner-up, during a stretch of playing the three games within a week. MT also was a part of the 2004 tournament, dropping a season-opening contest to USF at home in its lone game.

The Preseason WNIT, in its modern form since 2007, guarantees teams three games with all contests, including the semifinals and championship, hosted by participating schools at their home facility. The eight Round One winners will continue on in a traditional bracket play, with half of them hosting the other half in separate host sites. The winning teams will continue on, with separate host sites throughout the semifinals and championship.

The eight teams that lose their Round One games will be re-grouped into “Consolation bracket quads”, which will be two four-team pools. The teams may be re-shuffled from their original sides of the bracket, so they could play any other first-round loser in the tournament. One team in each pool is selected to host the other three teams. Each team will play two games for a total of three in the tournament.

Friend of the Blue Raiders? Like us on Facebook and become part of the True Blue army today.