2009 Women's National Invitation Tournament
Teams48
Finals siteAllen Fieldhouse
Lawrence, Kansas
ChampionsSouth Florida (1st title)
Runner-upKansas (1st title game)
Semifinalists
Winning coachJose Fernandez (1st title)
MVPShantia Grace (South Florida)
Attendance16,113 (championship game)
Top scorerDanielle McCray (Kansas)
(147 points)
Women's National Invitation Tournaments
«2008 2010»

The 2009 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) was a single-elimination tournament of 48 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams that did not participate in the 2009 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. It was won by South Florida. The 41st annual tournament was played from March 18, 2009 to April 4, 2009, entirely on campus sites. The highest ranked team in each conference that did not receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament received an automatic bid to this tournament. The remaining slots were filled by the WNIT Selection Committee.

The South Florida Bulls beat the Kansas Jayhawks, 75–71, in the championship game to win the WNIT.[1] This was the first postseason championship of any kind for the Bulls women's basketball team.[2] Danielle McCray of Kansas scored 147 points during the tournament, a WNIT record that still stands.[3] Shantia Grace of South Florida was named tournament MVP.[4]

Seeding

Teams are not seeded in the WNIT. Rather, teams are placed into one of three tiers. Teams in the upper tier are spread around the bracket as best as possible, although not every upper tier team receives a first round bye. Lower tier and middle tier teams tend to meet in the first round, while upper tier teams will usually play winners of first-round games in the second round. The organizers attempt to bracket the first two rounds based on geography. The location of games is determined in part by seed, but also by facility availability and other factors.[5]

Participants

Sections

Section 1
School Conference Record Berth type
Oregon State Pac-10 19–11 Automatic
Nebraska Big 12 15–15 At-Large
Arkansas SEC 17–13 Automatic
Kansas Big 12 18–13 Automatic
Portland WCC 17–13 Automatic
Portland State Big Sky 22–9 Automatic
Southern SWAC 16–13 Automatic
New Mexico MWC 22–10 Automatic
Texas-Arlington Southland 22–10 Automatic
Oklahoma State Big 12 16–15 At-Large
UC Riverside Big West 19–11 Automatic
Creighton MVC 21–11 At-Large
Section 2
School Conference Record Berth type
Marquette Big East 16–15 At-Large
Illinois State MVC 24–7 Automatic
Indiana Big Ten 19–10 Automatic
Bowling Green MAC 28–4 Automatic
Butler Horizon 19–11 Automatic
Duquesne A-10 20–11 At-Large
Southern Methodist C-USA 20–11 Automatic
Louisiana Tech WAC 20–12 Automatic
Dayton A-10 20–13 At-Large
Oakland Summit 26–6 Automatic
Canisius MAAC 24–8 Automatic
Syracuse Big East 16–14 At-Large
Section 3
School Conference Record Berth type
Boston College ACC 20–11 Automatic
Hartford America East 20–11 At-Large
Wake Forest ACC 19–11 At-Large
Richmond A-10 23–9 Automatic
Central Connecticut Northeast 18–13 Automatic
Boston America East 24–7 Automatic
Harvard Ivy League 19–9 Automatic
St. John's Big East 17–14 At-Large
Winthrop Big South 16–15 Automatic
Georgetown Big East 17–13 At-Large
American Patriot 19–11 Automatic
James Madison CAA 23–9 Automatic
Section 4
School Conference Record Berth type
St. Bonaventure A-10 21–10 At-Large
Wisconsin Big Ten 18–14 At-Large
South Florida Big East 22–10 Automatic
Mississippi SEC 17–14 At-Large
Coppin State MEAC 14–14 Automatic
West Virginia Big East 17–14 At-Large
Chattanooga SoCon 22–9 Automatic
Kentucky SEC 15–15 At-Large
George Washington A-10 17–13 At-Large
Florida Gulf Coast A-Sun 25–4 Automatic
Murray State OVC 22–8 Automatic
Arkansas-Little Rock Sun Belt 26–6 Automatic

Final Four

Kansas took on Illinois State in the first semifinal, held at Allen Fieldhouse. The first half was a back-and-forth battle, featuring three ties and nine lead changes. Kansas held a small six point lead at halftime. In the second half Kansas appeared to take charge, opening up a 17 point lead 48–31 with just over 13 minutes to go. The Redbirds did not go away, and chipped away at the lead, cutting it to single digits just after midway through the half, and down to a single point with three seconds to go in the game. With two seconds left, Danielle McCray was fouled and went to the line eating both free throws. Illinois State needed a three pointer to tie but turned it over with one second left in the game, leaving Kansas to take the win and head to the championship game.[6] McCray led all scorers with 31 points.[7]

South Florida took on Boston College in the other semifinal, held in Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The game was very close for the first three quarters of the game with neither team holding more than a six point lead. Boston College hit a three-point jumper to make it a one point game midway through the second half, but did not score another field goal for over six minutes, allowing the Bulls to open up a 15 point lead. South Florida ended up with the win 82–65. Carolyn Swords led all scorers with 22 points in the losing effort, while Jasmine Wynne finished with 19 points for the Bulls.[8][9]

South Florida faced Kansas in the championship game held at Allen Fieldhouse. The attendance was 16,113, representing not just a Kansas record but the largest home attendance for a women's game in Big 12 history. the Bulls opened up an early 10 point lead, but Kansas responded by taking back a small lead late in the first half. South Florida held Kansas scoreless for a four minute stretch allowing them to open up a 12 point lead early in the second half. Kansas cut the lead briefly to five points before the Bulls open the lead back up to double digits. The Jayhawks then held the Bulls scoreless for nearly three minutes and cut the lead to 67–66. The Bulls hit a bucket and a free throw to extend their lead to four, then Kansas turned it over when attempting to cut into the lead. South Florida ran out much of the remaining time and hit a shot from baseline to increase the margin to five points with less than 30 seconds to play. The Bulls ended up winning the championship 75–71. It was the first postseason championship for South Florida.[2][10] Danielle McCray led all scorers with 24 points for Kansas.[11]

Bracket

All times US EDT † – Denotes overtime period

Section 1

Round 1
March 18–20
Round 2
March 21–24
Round 3
March 25–27
Quarterfinals
March 28–30
            
Oregon State* 59
Portland State 47
Portland 51
Portland State* 57
Oregon State 56
New Mexico* 61
Nebraska* 43
New Mexico 54
Southern 44
New Mexico* 72
New Mexico* 69
Kansas 78
Arkansas* 61†
Oklahoma State 60
Texas-Arlington 72
Oklahoma State* 82
Arkansas 59
Kansas* 75
Kansas* 79
Creighton 64
UC Riverside 51
Creighton* 64

Note: Asterisk denotes home team. † denotes overtime.

Section 2

Round 1
March 18–20
Round 2
March 21–24
Round 3
March 25–27
Quarterfinals
March 28–30
            
Marquette* 58
Butler 49
Butler 59
Duquesne* 58
Marquette 50
Illinois State* 51
Illinois State* 73
Louisiana Tech 59
Southern Methodist 54
Louisiana Tech* 77
Illinois State* 66
Indiana 55
Indiana* 59
Dayton 57
Dayton 70
Oakland* 55
Indiana 75
Bowling Green* 67
Bowling Green* 72
Syracuse 69
Canisius 65
Syracuse 90

Note: Asterisk denotes home team. † denotes overtime.

Section 3

Round 1
March 18–20
Round 2
March 21–24
Round 3
March 25–27
Quarterfinals
March 28–30
            
Boston College* 68
Boston University 53
Central Connecticut 60
Boston University* 79
Boston College 68
St. John's* 64
Hartford* 59
St. John's 70
Harvard 60
St. John's* 83
Boston College* 65
Georgetown 56
Wake Forest* 61
Georgetown 72
Winthrop 45
Georgetown* 73
Georgetown* 65
Richmond 49
Richmond* 59
James Madison 57
American 59
James Madison* 61

Note: Asterisk denotes home team. † denotes overtime.

Section 4

Round 1
March 18–20
Round 2
March 21–24
Round 3
March 25–27
Quarterfinals
March 28–30
            
St. Bonaventure* 68
West Virginia 63
Coppin State 40
West Virginia* 70
St. Bonaventure 56
Wisconsin* 51
Wisconsin* 49
Kentucky 45
Chattanooga 76
Kentucky* 81†
St. Bonaventure* 66
South Florida 80
South Florida* 88 †
Florida Gulf Coast 81
George Washington 94
Florida Gulf Coast* 97†
South Florida* 74
Mississippi 57
Mississippi* 87
Murray State 49
Murray State 67
Arkansas-Little Rock* 65

Note: Asterisk denotes home team. † denotes overtime

Semifinals and finals

Semifinals
April 1
Finals
April 4
      
Kansas* 75
Illinois State 72
Kansas* 71
South Florida 75
Boston College* 65
South Florida 82

Note: Asterisk denotes home team

References

  1. "FINAL: South Florida takes down KU women in WNIT championship, 75-71". KUsports.com. April 4, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "South Florida vs. Kansas - Game Recap - April 4, 2009 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  3. "Postseason WNIT Records". womensnit.com. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  4. Tait, Matt (April 5, 2009). "Bulls Earn 1st Postseason Title". The Tampa Tribune. p. Sports 5. Retrieved March 28, 2022 via newspapers.com.
  5. "2009 Postseason Bracket (PDF) - WNIT Pre and Post Tournament" (PDF). womensnit.com. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  6. "Illinois State vs. Kansas - Game Recap - April 1, 2009 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  7. "Illinois State - Kansas boxscore". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 24, 2021.
  8. "South Florida vs. Boston College - Game Recap - April 1, 2009 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  9. "Boxscore". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 24, 2021.
  10. "South Florida-Kansas gamecast". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 24, 2021.
  11. "South Florida - Kansas boxscore". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 24, 2021.
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