Bucknell University Athletics
Women's Basketball to Play Akron in WNIT on Thursday
3/14/2016 11:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Fresh off winning a share of the Patriot League regular season title, the Bucknell women's basketball team will continue its season when it travels to play Akron on Thursday in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The time of the game will be announced Tuesday afternoon.
“I'm very excited to be able to continue this year with this group,” said Bucknell head coach Aaron Roussell. “It takes a really special season to qualify for the postseason at this level, and this season has been remarkable in so many ways.”
The Bison, who will make just their second appearance in the WNIT, enter the tournament with a 24-7 record. They tied with Army West Point for the regular season league title with a 17-1 mark in conference play and went on to advance to the semifinals of the conference tournament. Both the overall and league win totals are program records.
“We've fought hard through tremendous amounts of adversity, and to be able to earn this bid is pretty sweet,” Roussell said. “The WNIT is a high-level tournament and to be a part of it is a big step for this program.”
Bucknell earned an automatic bid to the WNIT as the top team from the Patriot League not to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Akron enters as an at-large team after going 19-13 overall and 11-7 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The Zips have played in the WNIT or the NCAA Tournament in each of the past three seasons. Last year they fell to Kansas State in the first round of the WNIT.
Akron had two players named to the All-MAC Team this season. Anita Brown, a First Team selection, averages 22.1 points and 7.5 rebounds. Hannah Plybon, a Second Team honoree, averages 16.3 points.
Bucknell's last game against a MAC opponent came in the 2014-15 season opener. The Bison knocked off Bowling Green 53-52. The Falcons entered that season with seven straight 20-win seasons and the most conference titles in MAC history.
Bucknell and Akron have met four times in program history, with the Bison leading 3-1 in the all-time series. The Bison won the most recent matchup 48-47 during the 2004-05 season.
The Bison's last appearance in the WNIT came in 2007 when they lost 70-54 to Hartford in the opening round. They are looking to become the first Patriot League team to ever win a game in the WNIT.
The Bucknell-Akron winner will advance to take on the winner of Michigan and Wright State. The Wolverines and Raiders will play in Ann Arbor on Wednesday.
