March 15, 2010

2010 NCAA Women's Tournament Interactive Bracket

2010 WNIT Bracket

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Mountain West Conference will send a record-tying six women's basketball teams to the 2010 postseason. San Diego State and TCU were tabbed to represent the Mountain West Conference in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, while BYU, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming will make appearances in the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT). The six postseason representatives ties the all-time mark originally set in 2006.

San Diego State (21-10), the MWC automatic qualifier after capturing its first Mountain West Conference Women's Basketball Championship last week, is a No. 11 seed. The Aztecs return to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and eighth time overall. San Diego State will play No. 6 seed Texas (22-10) in the first round on Sunday, March 21 at approximately 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2 in Austin, Texas. The Aztecs are 4-7 all-time in NCAA Tournament play. Last season, they defeated DePaul (76-70) before falling in the second round to eventual Final Four participant Stanford (77-49). The winner of the SDSU vs. Texas contest faces the winner of the No. 3 seed West Virginia (28-5) vs. No. 14 seed Lamar (26-7) on Tuesday, March 23.

TCU is making its ninth NCAA Tournament appearance in 10 years, where the team holds a 5-9 all-time record. The Horned Frogs finished the season with a 22-8 overall record. TCU is a No. 9 seed and will face No. 8 seed Dayton (24-7) in the first round on Saturday, March 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 in Knoxville, Tenn. The winner of the TCU vs. Dayton contest will face the winner of the No. 1 seed Tennessee (30-2) vs. No. 16 seed Austin Peay (15-17) game on Monday, March 22.

New Mexico (18-12) is making its fifth appearance in the WNIT and 13th straight postseason tournament showing overall. The Lobos will host SMU (20-10) at The Pit on Wednesday, March 17, at 7 p.m. MT. The Lobos are 9-4 all-time in the WNIT. UNM will compete in its second straight WNIT, where it advanced to the Elite Eight last season. Overall, the Lobos went 3-1 in the WNIT last season with victories over Southern, Nebraska, Oregon State before losing to Kansas.

BYU (20-9), making its fifth overall appearance in the WNIT, will host Pepperdine (20-11) on Thursday, March 18 at the Marriott Center in Provo. The game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. MT. The Cougars hold a 3-4 record in the WNIT with their last appearance coming in 2005.

Wyoming (19-11) will host Nevada (17-15) on Friday, March 19, at 7 p.m. MT at the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie, Wyo. The Cowgirls are returning to the WNIT for the first time since 2007 when they won the WNIT National Championship. This year's postseason appearance marks the fourth postseason tournament berth in the last seven seasons for Wyoming.

Utah will be making its fifth WNIT appearance overall and first since the 2007 season where the Utes fell to Illinois in the second round. Utah will travel to Moraga, Calif., to take on St. Mary's (21-9), Sunday, March 21 at 2 p.m. PT. The Utes are 3-6 all-time in their four appearances in the WNIT.

The MWC has made 45 postseason appearances since the league was formed 11 years ago, including four NCAA Sweet 16 showings (Utah-2001 and 2007, BYU-2002, New Mexico-2003). Utah was also the first MWC team to advance to the Elite Eight in 2006. Last season, San Diego State, TCU and Utah made appearances in the NCAA Tournament, while New Mexico earned a bid to the WNIT.

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament first- and second-round games are at predetermined sites for the eighth straight year. The four regional winners will meet at the NCAA Women's Final Four, April 4 and 6, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, with the University of Texas, San Antonio serving as the host.

The 2010 WNIT marks the first year with an expanded field of 64 teams. Thirty-one teams earn automatic bids with 33 others receiving at-large invitations. The top team from each conference that did not make the NCAA Tournament earns the automatic bid. BYU earned the automatic bid from the MWC this season.

THE MWC IN THE 2010 NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

MEMPHIS REGIONAL
First and Second Rounds
At Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tenn.
Saturday, March 20
No. 1 Tennessee (30-2) vs. No. 16 Austin Peay (15-17), approximately Noon ET
No. 8 Dayton (24-7) vs. No. 9 TCU (22-8), approximately 2:30 p.m. ET

Monday, March 22
Tennessee-Austin Peay winner vs. Dayton-TCU winner
(Winner advances to the Memphis Regional)

First and Second Rounds
At Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
Sunday, March 21 No. 6 Texas (22-10) vs. No. 11 San Diego State (21-10), approximately 6 p.m. CT
No. 3 West Virginia (28-5) vs. No. 14 Lamar (26-7), approximately 8:30 p.m. CT

Tuesday, March 23
Texas-San Diego State winner vs. West Virginia-Lamar winner
(Winner advances to the Memphis Regional)

THE MWC IN THE 2010 WOMEN'S NATIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT

First Round
At The Pit/Bob King Court, Albuquerque, N.M.
Wednesday, March 17
SMU (20-10) at New Mexico (18-12), 7 p.m. MT

At The Marriott Center, Provo, Utah
Thursday, March 18
Pepperdine (20-11) at BYU (20-9), 7 p.m. MT

At The Arena Auditorium, Laramie, Wyo.
Friday, March 19
Nevada (17-15) at Wyoming (19-11), 7 p.m. MT

At McKeon Pavilion, Moraga, Calif.
Sunday, March 21
Utah (22-11) at St. Mary's (CA) (21-9), 2 p.m. PT