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/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Selected to Play in 2022 WNIT
3/13/2022 4:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota women's basketball team has accepted an invitation to play in the 24th Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Gophers, who are making their sixth appearance in the tournament, were announced as a part of the 64-team field on Monday night.
The official WNIT Bracket will be posted at 1 pm ET on Mon., March 14, with first-round games starting between March 16-18, at 32 host sites across the country.
Minnesota is making its sixth appearance in the WNIT, also participating in the tournament in 2007, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2019. The Golden Gophers are 5-5 all-time in the event, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2014.
Holding a record of 14-17 overall and 7-11 in Big Ten play, Minnesota won three games against top 70 NET teams, as well as defeating one 2022 NCAA Tournament team in American (14 seed). Minnesota had one of the toughest schedules heading into the season, playing a total of 10 2022 NCAA Tournament teams playing four during the non-conference portion of the campaign.
This season the Gophers have been led by junior Sara Scalia and Deja Winters, who both were honored as All-Big Ten performers this season.
Scalia became one of the best 3-point shooters in program history this season. She eclipsed 200 made threes in her career, just the seventh Gopher to do so. Her 105 made threes during the 2021-22 season is the second most only behind Rachel Banham's 119 in 2015-16. Scalia is also currently 10th in career scoring average at 14.3, just ahead of Janel McCarville (2001-05) and just behind Linda Roberts (1977-81).
Joining Scalia with All-Big Ten honors was graduate student Deja Winters who was named to the Honorable Mention team by the members of the media. Winters finished in the top 10 in blocked shots in the Big Ten and was 11th in Big Ten play in steals per game at 1.7. The Cleveland, Ohio, native was also an elite 3-point shooter, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc this season which was the sixth-best rate in the Big Ten this year.
Full 2022 WNIT Schedule:
- Selection - Sunday, March 13
- Round 1 - March 16-18
- Round 2 - March 19-22
- Round 3 - March 23-26
- Quarterfinals - March 26-28
- Semifinals - March 30-31
- Championship - Saturday, April 2 (broadcast by CBS Sports Network)
The Postseason WNIT is owned and produced by Triple Crown Sports, based in Fort Collins, Colo. TCS also organizes men's and women's college basketball tournaments in Cancun, and the Preseason WNIT.
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram (@GopherWBB) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the 2021-22 season.
The official WNIT Bracket will be posted at 1 pm ET on Mon., March 14, with first-round games starting between March 16-18, at 32 host sites across the country.
Minnesota is making its sixth appearance in the WNIT, also participating in the tournament in 2007, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2019. The Golden Gophers are 5-5 all-time in the event, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2014.
Holding a record of 14-17 overall and 7-11 in Big Ten play, Minnesota won three games against top 70 NET teams, as well as defeating one 2022 NCAA Tournament team in American (14 seed). Minnesota had one of the toughest schedules heading into the season, playing a total of 10 2022 NCAA Tournament teams playing four during the non-conference portion of the campaign.
This season the Gophers have been led by junior Sara Scalia and Deja Winters, who both were honored as All-Big Ten performers this season.
Scalia became one of the best 3-point shooters in program history this season. She eclipsed 200 made threes in her career, just the seventh Gopher to do so. Her 105 made threes during the 2021-22 season is the second most only behind Rachel Banham's 119 in 2015-16. Scalia is also currently 10th in career scoring average at 14.3, just ahead of Janel McCarville (2001-05) and just behind Linda Roberts (1977-81).
Joining Scalia with All-Big Ten honors was graduate student Deja Winters who was named to the Honorable Mention team by the members of the media. Winters finished in the top 10 in blocked shots in the Big Ten and was 11th in Big Ten play in steals per game at 1.7. The Cleveland, Ohio, native was also an elite 3-point shooter, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc this season which was the sixth-best rate in the Big Ten this year.
Full 2022 WNIT Schedule:
- Selection - Sunday, March 13
- Round 1 - March 16-18
- Round 2 - March 19-22
- Round 3 - March 23-26
- Quarterfinals - March 26-28
- Semifinals - March 30-31
- Championship - Saturday, April 2 (broadcast by CBS Sports Network)
The Postseason WNIT is owned and produced by Triple Crown Sports, based in Fort Collins, Colo. TCS also organizes men's and women's college basketball tournaments in Cancun, and the Preseason WNIT.
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram (@GopherWBB) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the 2021-22 season.
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