Temple University Athletics
Owls to Host First-Round Game in Preseason WNIT
6.28.01 | Women's Basketball
"Being singled out to host this prestigious competition confirms the growth of our program under new coach Dawn Staley," said O'Brien. "This announcement will make our program a national focal point for the opening of the 2001-02 women's basketball season."
Headlining the 16-team field for the single-elimination tournament are two-time NCAA Tournament Champion Connecticut and 2001 "elite eight" participant Vanderbilt. The field includes four other participants in the 2001 NCAA Tournament --Colorado, Fairfield, Stephen F. Austin and Oral Roberts-- in addition to 2001 WNIT qualifiers Florida International, George Mason, Loyola Marymount, New Mexico, Oregon State and Temple. Rounding out the field are Eastern Kentucky, North Carolina and Pacific.
Should Temple defeat the Purple Aces in the opening-round, it will advance to play the winner of the first-round game between visiting George Mason and North Carolina at a site to be determined.
Second-round games will be played November 11, followed by semifinal-round games November 14, 15 or 16 and the championship final on November 18 or 19.
In Staley's first year, the Owls posted a 19-11 overall record and went 11-5 for a third-place finish in the Atlantic 10 Conference, Temple's first winning season in 10 years. Staley's first Temple team also produced the program's first post-season appearance since 1989, closing out the season with a narrow 59-57 loss at James Madison in the 2001 Women's National Invitation Tournament.
