Cleveland State to compete in 2008 Preseason WNIT

July 7, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

2008 WNIT Bracket

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Cleveland State University is one of 16 teams that will make up the 2008 Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Vikings, who captured their first Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship a last season, will play at Arizona State University on Nov. 14 in the first round of the WNIT.

Cleveland State joins a field that includes 11 other teams who qualified for postseason play a year ago. Included in that field is Arizona State, Illinois State University, Indiana University, Liberty University, Middle Tennessee State University, University of North Carolina, Oklahoma University, Robert Morris University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Western Carolina University, and Xavier University. Ball State University, Lafayette College, Tulane University and University of California Riverside are also included in this year's field.

In 2008, CSU finished with a 19-14 record and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings' 19 victories this past season were the most wins by a Cleveland State team since its 23-6 record in 1982-83.

The WNIT will be played in the format introduced in 2007, in which each team is guaranteed to play three games. Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games, Nov. 21-23.

The event opens Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15, with first-round games. Second-round games will be played Nov. 16-19, semifinals will be Nov. 19-21 and the championship is set for Nov. 23.

First-round Preseason WNIT games
(All 2007-2008 team records in parentheses)


Friday, Nov. 14, 2008
Robert Morris (23-10) at Xavier (24-9), 3 p.m. ET
Western Carolina (25-9) at North Carolina (33-3), 7 p.m. ET
VCU (26-8) at Liberty (28-4), 7 p.m. ET
Ball State (15-15) at Indiana (18-15), 7 p.m. ET
Illinois State (26-7) at Tulane (16-14), 8 p.m. ET
Cleveland State (19-14) at Arizona State (22-11), 8 p.m. ET


Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008
UC Riverside (14-16) at Oklahoma (22-9), 3 p.m. ET
Lafayette (14-16) at MTSU (22-12), 8 p.m. ET