Cowgirls Invited to WNIT
The University of Wyoming women's basketball team received an at-large bid to the 2011 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) Monday night. They will host the Portland State Vikings in the first round on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
At the Arena-Auditorium the Cowgirls are 12-3. The Vikings are 5-9 on the road.
The Cowgirls (22-8, 12-4) finished third in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) regular season and lost in the second round of the 2011 Conoco MWC tournament to New Mexico. Wyoming shoots 43 percent from the field, almost 40 percent from 3-point range and 40 percent from the free throw line.
Senior Aubrey Vandiver was awarded MWC Player of the Year after she lead the conference in scoring with 19.6 points per game. Vandiver and fellow senior Hillary Carlson were given First-Team All-Mountain West honors while senior Jade Kennedy and sophomore Chaundra Sewell received Honorable Mention.
Portland State (20-11, 12-4) earned the Big Sky's automatic bid into the WNIT by winning the regular season title. They made their first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2010. Head Coach Sherri Murrell is in her fourth year.
The Vikings shoot 41 percent from the field, 35 percent from beyond the arc and 72 percent from the free throw line. Three Vikings average double-figure scoring in Erin Jones with 14.3, Courtney VanBrocklin with 13.5 and Kelli Valentine with 11 points per game.