2009 Women's National Invitation Tournament

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.

2009 Women's National Invitation Tournament

Teams	48
Finals site	Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
Champions	South Florida (1st title)
Runner-up	Kansas (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Illinois State Boston College
Winning coach	Jose Fernandez (1st title)
MVP	Shantia Grace (South Florida)
Attendance	16,113 (championship game)
Top scorer	Danielle McCray (Kansas) (147 points)
Women's National Invitation Tournaments «2008 2010»

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