Carolina expected to get invite to 64-team postseason tournament after winning season
Like their male counterparts, the USC women's basketball team will likely not hear its name called when the field of 64 for the 2011 NCAA Women's Tournament is announced today.
However, unlike the men's squad, the Lady Gamecocks should find themselves in a postseason tournament. Thanks to a 17-14 record, an RPI of 55 and one of the toughest schedules in the nation, USC is expected to be invited to the Women's National Invitational Tournament.
USC's slim NCAA hopes were erased with a 66-34 loss to Georgia in the quarterfinals of the SEC Women's Tournament on March 4 in Nashville, Tenn. Prior to the defeat, the Lady Gamecocks had won eight of their last 13 games to push themselves into the postseason discussion, including their first win in the SEC Tournament since 2007 with a 62-50 win over Ole Miss in the first round.
USC has played in the current incarnation of the WNIT three times, the most recent appearance being in 2008. In 1979, the Lady Gamecocks won the National Women's Invitational Tournament, defeating Drake in the title game 74-71 in Amarillo, Texas.
Former USC guard Jordan Jones holds the WNIT record for most 3-pointers in a game, with nine during a 102-74 win over North Carolina A&T in 2008.
The WNIT, which began in 1998, is a 64-team tournament. 31 automatic bids are awarded to the best non-NCAA Tournament team in each conference, with 33 at-large invites after that. If LSU makes the NCAA field as is expected, the Lady Gamecocks would be in line to receive the SEC's automatic bid into the field.
The NCAA field will be announced at 7 p.m., with the WNIT announcement coming later in the night.