For the second consecutive season, the NCAA women's basketball selection committee decided the Western Athletic Conference champion was the only team worthy of inclusion in the 64-team tournament field. Snubbed by NCAA, Wahine
head to Oregon State
to play in WNITBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comFor the second consecutive season, that leaves the runner-up Hawaii Rainbow Wahine out in the cold, even with a 23-7 record and a 3-point loss to Louisiana Tech in the WAC title game. It also is the second consecutive season the Wahine have lost all three meetings with the WAC champion.
Hawaii did accept an invitation to the Women's National Invitation Tournament and play the Oregon State Beavers in a first-round game Thursday at Corvallis, Ore. Goo told his players during a layover in San Francisco yesterday they didn't make the NCAA Tournament.
"I heard we were on the bubble, but I don't have any reaction. I don't know who else was on the bubble," Goo said from San Francisco.
The Wahine were in the air traveling from Chicago to San Francisco when ESPN broadcast the selection show. It was not encouraging when Louisiana Tech was seeded fifth in the East Regional and the ESPN commentator said the Lady Techsters had played in a weak conference this year.
It's interesting to note the unofficial Rating Percentage Index put out by Collegiate Basketball News had the WAC ranked 12th among 31 conferences and the Sun Belt, the conference Louisiana Tech left, rated No. 11, but both had the same .5085 RPI rating. The only difference was the Sun Belt had a slightly better composite nonconference record.
The Beavers were 16-14 overall, 11-7 in the Pac-10 Conference. OSU was in the WNIT a year ago and lost a first-round game to Brigham Young. The Cougars then were ousted by the Wahine.
"We're really excited to be in the WNIT again," said OSU head coach Judy Spoelstra. "It's a tremendous opportunity for our players to continue our season. They worked really hard all summer and I'm happy that all of their work has paid off."
Rice, a loser in the WAC tournament semifinal round to UH, also received a WNIT invitation and plays Houston on Wednesday.
UH Athletics
