Aggie Women's Basketball Continues Season, Hosts Arizona in WNIT Thursday

Utah State [University] women's basketball continues its historic season, making its first postseason appearance since the 1981-82 season when the Aggies host Arizona in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) Thursday, March 17, at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Tip time is set for 5 p.m. (MT).

"This is a big step for our program to be invited to the WNIT,” said USU head coach Raegan Pebley. “Our team has worked so hard and has been so committed to our goal of postseason play. Our mentality is not just to participate. Our mentality is to win, which is exactly where it needs to be."

Ticket prices will be $6 for adults and $4 for youth and students. Fans can purchase tickets through the Utah State ticket office at 435-797-0305 or 1-888-U-STATE-1 or by going to www.UtahStateAggies.com.

Fans are encouraged to stay at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum to watch the Utah State men take on Kansas State. The No. 12-seeded Aggies will take on the No. 5-seeded Wildcats in Tucson, Ariz., tipping off at approximately 7:57 p.m. (MT).

Arizona is 21-11 this season and finished fourth in the regular season Pac-10 standings. The Wildcats won two games in the Pacific Life Pac-10 Tournament and have won eight of their last 10 games. Utah State is 5-4 all-time against Arizona. The last time the Aggies and Wildcats met, Arizona defeated USU, 75-41, Dec. 4, 1986.

The last time the Aggies reached postseason play was the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Region VII Championships. The last time that Utah State hosted postseason game was March 5, 1976, when USU lost to Utah in the AIAW Region VII Championships.

The WNIT field includes 31 teams that earned an automatic berth, and 33 teams that are chosen at-large. The Postseason WNIT will open with first-round games Wednesday through Friday, March 16-18. The event culminates Saturday, April 2, with the championship. All games are hosted by participating schools.

USU just competed in its second Western Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal, falling to eventual tournament champion, Fresno State, 86-76, March 11.

The Aggies earned the automatic berth to the WNIT since both Louisiana Tech and Fresno State earned berths to the NCAA Tournament. For the second-straight season, both Fresno State and Louisiana Tech advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs (25-7) are a No. 12 seed and will take on No. 5 seeded North Carolina in the first round in Albuquerque, N.M. WAC regular-season champion, Louisiana Tech earned a No. 10 seed and will take on No. 7 Rutgers. The Lady Techsters will not have to travel far, taking on the Scarlet Knights in Shreveport, La.

Nevada also advanced to the WNIT and will take on Saint Mary's Thursday, March 17.

"With two teams in the NCAA with 12 and 10 seeds, and two teams in the WNIT, that shows the WAC is continuing to be a quality women's basketball conference,” Pebley said. “We still have plenty of room to improve, but we are taking the right steps as a league. My hope is that in the near future the WAC has at least three teams in the NCAA and four teams in the WNIT."

The Western Athletic Conference is 18-28 in the WNIT in 23 years. Current WAC schools hold an 18-28 mark. Hawai`i (5-5), Fresno State (6-7), Boise State (1-1), Louisiana Tech (1-1), Nevada (0-2) and New Mexico State (0-1) have all seen action in the WNIT. Utah State, San Jose State and Idaho are the only three WAC schools to not have participated in the WNIT as members of the WAC.

Last season, New Mexico State fell in the first round of the WNIT to Arizona State, 84-61, in Tempe, Ariz., while Nevada lost to Wyoming, 74-53, in Laramie, Wyo.

Fans can follow USU women's basketball and Coach Pebley on Twitter and Utah State Athletics.

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.