NCAA to operate a 2nd women’s postseason tourney for teams that don’t make NCAA Tournament

By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer

The NCAA has announced it is creating another women’s basketball tournament that it will operate like the men’s NIT as a second option for 32 teams that do not make the NCAA Tournament. The Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament will debut in the upcoming season. It brings the men’s and women’s NCAA postseason opportunities to an equal number. An NCAA-operated second option for women was one of the key focuses of an external gender equity report on the NCAA. Women’s teams that didn’t make the NCAA Tournament in the past had the opportunity to play in an independently operated WNIT. The WNIT says the tournament will continue with 48 teams.