George Mason Selected in the 2018 WNIT

George Mason women’s basketball historic season will continue in the WNIT (Women’s National Invitational Tournament).

The Patriots will host Stephen F. Austin at EagleBank Arena on Friday, March 16 at 7:00 pm.

This is the third time ever the Patriots have been selected to the WNIT, their first time since 2004. George Mason has never been in the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

The Patriots were selected as an at-large team into the tournament on March 12 following the NCAA Tournament field reveal.

Playing against Stephen F. Austin (25-6, 16-2) from the Southland Conference it will be the third time that these to programs have met. The last meeting was in 2016 in which the Ladyjacks won 77-76. All-time Mason is 0-2 vs. Stephen F. Austin.

If victorious on Friday, George Mason will play the winner of Virginia Tech and Navy between March 17 and 20.

George Mason’s WNIT section (left team host First Round):

Fordham (22-9, 12-4 Atlantic 10; #86 RPI) vs. Harvard (18-10, 10-4 Atlantic 10; #56 RPI)
Drexel (26-7, 16-2 CAA;#51 RPI) vs. Robert Morris (25-7, 16-2 NEC; #134 RPI)

George Mason (23-9, 11-5 Atlantic 10; #110 RPI) vs. Stephen F. Austin (25-6, 16-2 Southland; #113 RPI)
Virginia Tech (18-13, 6-10 ACC; #66 RPI) vs. Navy (25-7, 13-5 Patriot; #74 RPI)

Georgia Tech (18-13, 6-10 ACC, #67 RPI) vs. Bethune-Cookman (24-6, 15-1 MEAC; #132 RPI)
UAB (#71 vs. Chattanooga (#108 RPI

UCF (26-6, 13-3 C-USA; #46 RPI) vs. Jacksonville (24-8, 12-2 Atlantic Sun; #99 RPI)
Alabama (17-13, 7-9 SEC; #94 RPI) vs. Southern (17-13, 14-4 SWAC; #182 RPI)

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WNIT BRACKET

The Ladyjacks were the final team to receive a bid into the WNIT after Rutgers refused the bid following an apparent snub from the NCAA Tournament.

This season the Green and Gold finished with a program-best 23 wins in the 2017-18 season. Placing fourth in the Atlantic 10 regular season standings marked the highest ever for the team. The team also claimed the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year with Natalie Butler and the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year with Nicole Cardano-Hillary.

The 64-team tournament is a single-elimination event with all games played at sites of host schools. The WNIT is committed to offering deserved opportunities to women’s basketball programs, and the 2018 Postseason WNIT features a full 64-team bracket. It is often considered the second-best women’s basketball postseason tournament in country behind the NCAA Tournament.

This is an ongoing story. More information will be added as it becomes available. Please follow @theTylerByrum, @GMUGiantKiller, and @MasonWBB on Twitter for the latest information.