Latest news with #Women'sBasketballInvitationTournament
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Three-time WNBA champion joins HBCU program
Prairie View A&M has made a major splash in the HBCU coaching landscape by hiring WNBA legend and Texas Tech Hall of Famer Plenette Pierson. She has joined the women's basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach. The former WNBA champion brings over two decades of elite basketball experience to Prairie View A&M for the 2024-25 season. Pierson joins the Lady Panthers after serving as associate head coach at Texas Tech, her alma mater, where she was instrumental in the team's resurgence. During her tenure, the Lady Raiders posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in over a decade and reached the quarterfinals of both the Big 12 Tournament and the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT). Known for her ability to develop post players and lead recruiting efforts, Pierson helped guide Texas Tech to key wins over top-tier programs including Virginia Tech, Arkansas, and Iowa State. Her influence helped produce All-Big 12 standouts and one of the nation's top transfer classes. A former No. 4 overall pick in the 2003 WNBA Draft, Pierson is a three-time WNBA champion and former Sixth Woman of the Year. Her move to Prairie View A&M marks a powerful new chapter for HBCU women's basketball. Pierson was hired by new PVAMU head coach Tia Dillard, a former standout at Texas and WNBA veteran. Dillard comes over from the University of Houston, where she helped guide the Cougars to multiple postseason runs. Known for mentoring sharpshooter Laila Blair and excelling in recruitment, Dillard's leadership is already reshaping Prairie View's HBCU basketball identity. Her decision to hire Pierson blends pro-level pedigree with high-level collegiate coaching insight. The post Three-time WNBA champion joins HBCU program appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local Chattanooga Company, Praters Flooring, Plays Key Role in Championship Win with Custom PlayOn™ Decals
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A local Chattanooga business made a big impact on the hardwood on April 3rd. Praters Flooring, an industry leader in sports flooring and custom court graphics, proudly provided the PlayOn™ decals used during a pivotal game where the local Chattanooga Mocs clinched a major victory. The game was held at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University in Indianapolis, a venue steeped in college basketball tradition. The playing surface was outfitted with Praters' signature PlayOn™ decals, designed for easy application and removal, ensuring top-tier performance while giving the floor a professional, branded look. "We take a lot of pride in what we do, but nothing feels better than seeing our work make a difference right here at home," said John Prater, President of Praters Flooring. "To know that a team from our own Chattanooga community won on such a large stage, and on a floor we helped bring to life, is incredibly meaningful." Praters Flooring employs more than 80 individuals in the Chattanooga area and is proud to contribute to the local economy and community. The company is always on the lookout for dedicated, local talent interested in joining a fun, fast-paced industry. From court production to event execution, Praters offers a unique opportunity to be part of a team that brings basketball experiences to life at every level of the game. Praters has proudly partnered with the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) for the last two years, providing flooring expertise and custom graphics, and looks forward to continuing that strong relationship for seasons to come. Throughout the championship events at Hinkle, the Praters Events Team was on-site to change court graphics in real time, transitioning between NIT and WBIT (Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament) branding as needed. In a fitting hometown connection, Chattanooga's own home court is a Praters portable floor, further deepening the local ties between the company and the city's sports success. About Praters Flooring:Headquartered in Rossville, GA, Praters Flooring is a nationally recognized leader in basketball court finishing, portable flooring systems, and custom event graphics. From NCAA tournaments to high school gyms and NBA arenas, Praters delivers championship-level quality to every court they touch. Company Contact: Anna Prater, Marketing Manager423-899-8676, anna@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Praters Athletic Flooring Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Belmont women's basketball rally comes up short vs Minnesota in WBIT championship game
The Belmont women's basketball team's hope of claiming the school's first national championship was dashed Wednesday as it lost to Minnesota 75-63 in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament title game in Indianapolis. It was the deepest national postseason run in any sport for Belmont (26-13), which had won 10 of its previous 11 games. Advertisement After falling behind by 24 points on two occasions in the third quarter, the Bruins used a 12-0 run in the fourth to trim Minnesota's lead to 65-55. Belmont's Kendal Cheesman hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 67-58 and Jailyn Banks made a layup to cut it to 71-63 with 1:13 left. Belmont Bruins guard Tuti Jones (0) and Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Alexsia Rose (0) reach for the ball Wednesday, April 2, 2025, during the WBIT championship game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Belmont Bruins at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. That was as close at the Bruins would come. Belmont outscored Minnesota 24-17 in the fourth quarter. "It didn't surprise me," Belmont coach Bart Brooks said when asked about the Bruins' late run. "We just could not get any momentum offensively. We had just multiple possessions of everything goes right except the ball didn't go in. It was just one of those nights." Advertisement Banks, a guard from Middle Tennessee Christian School, led Belmont with 17 points. Freshman Sanaa Tripp came of the bench to score 13 points. Cheesman, a Vanderbilt transfer, had 11 points and six rebounds. The No. 2 seed Gophers (25-11) from the Big Ten beat Toledo, Missouri State, Gonzaga and Florida in the tournament. Minnesota played in the WNIT championship in 2023-24. Minnesota's defense stifled Belmont throughout the game and the Bruins were unable to stop freshman guard Tori McKinney. McKinney had a career-high 26 points midway through the third quarter at a point when Belmont had only 26 points as a team. McKinney made 10-of-14 field goals, including four 3-pointers before picking up her fourth foul midway through the fourth quarter. Advertisement McKinney was back on the floor at the end and played a big role in helping the Gopher to hold off Belmont. "At the end in out huddle we were saying we've got to get this stop," said McKinney, who also had three steals. "I mean we do take pride in ourselves, but at the same time it was more about being together and if it was five on the court then this five has us and we're good." Heyer had 18 points and 16 rebounds for Minnesota. Heyer also had 16 rebounds in the semifinal win over Florida. Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Belmont women's basketball loses to Minnesota in WBIT championship
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What channel are WBIT games on? Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament schedule
The Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament quarterfinals will be played on campus sites, with the semifinals on Monday, March 31, and the championship game Wednesday, April 2, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. WBIT schedule Quarterfinals, Thursday, March 27 Texas Tech at Florida, 6 p.m., ESPN+ Belmont at James Madison, 7 p.m., ESPN+ Portland at Villanova, 7 p.m., ESPN+ Gonzaga at Minnesota, 8 p.m., ESPN+ Advertisement Semifinals, Monday, March 31 At Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Texas Tech/Florida winner vs. Gonzaga/Minnesota winner, time TBD, ESPNU James Madison/Belmont winner vs. Villanova/Portland winner, time TBD, ESPNU Championship game: Wednesday, April 2, 6 p.m., ESPN2 Watch the games with a free Fubo trial WBIT 2025 bracket Get 2025 WBIT printable bracket here. WBIT first round results Virginia Tech 61, N.C. A&T 45 Texas Tech 65, Wyoming 48 Florida 83, Northern Iowa 71 UNLV 63, Hawaii 46 Colorado 73, Southeastern Louisiana 41 Gonzaga 67, UTSA 51 Missouri State 107, Oral Roberts 76 Minnesota 65, Toledo 53 James Madison 77, Davidson 50 Marquette 74, Drake 69 Belmont 64, Middle Tennessee State 51 Northern Arizona 71, Arizona 69 Saint Joseph's 69, Albany 40 Villanova 76, Boston College 70 Seton Hall 57, Quinnipiac 40 Portland 69, Stanford 68, OT WBIT second round results Texas Tech 69, Virginia Tech 59 Florida 86, UNLV 84 Gonzaga 64, Colorado 55 Minnesota 78, Missouri State 71 James Madison 80, Marquette 76, OT Belmont 81, Northern Arizona 80 Villanova 62, Saint Joseph's 60 Portland 61, Seton Hall 55 This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: WBIT schedule, TV, streaming: Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
March Madness: Missouri State women's basketball dismantles Oral Roberts in WBIT
By the looks of how hard Missouri State women's basketball played to open the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament, you would have never guessed the Lady Bears were playing in a secondary tournament. The Lady Bears played like a team motivated to make a deep March Madness run in their 107-76 WBIT first-round win over Oral Roberts at Great Southern Bank Arena on Thursday night. The win advanced the three-seed Lady Bears to the second round, where they will play two-seed Minnesota on Sunday. The Lady Bears will host the Golden Gophers at 2 p.m., despite being the lower seed. Missouri State women's basketball scored 53 points in first half The Lady Bears scored 15 of the game's first 17 points, which saw Paige Rocca hit back-to-back 3's to cap off the run. They were in full control when hitting six 3's in the opening quarter with Kaemyn Bekemeier also hitting a pair. Advertisement Their feet never came off the gas, extending their lead to as many as 27 with a minute left in the half. MSU made eight 3's, with Lacy Stokes and Bekemeier each scoring 12 points. Eight different Lady Bears scored in the game's first 20 minutes as the team shot 46.5% from the field and held the Golden Eagles to 33.3%. Missouri State Lady Bear Kaemyn Bekemeier shoots a three-pointer as the Lady Bears take on the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles in the WBIT at Great Southern Bank Arena on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Missouri State women's basketball cruises to win Not much changed in the second half. Six different Lady Bears finished the game with 10 or more points. Stokes led the way with 20 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Sarah Linthacum also had a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards. Bekemeier scored 17 points with four 3's. Rocca made five 3's. Advertisement The game marked the first time the Lady Bears scored 100 or more points in the team's three seasons under Beth Cunningham. It was the team's first since scoring 100 against Lincoln in Dec. 2020. It's also the first time the Lady Bears have scored 100 or more against a Division I opponent since scoring 108 against Valparaiso in Jan. 2019, the program's final season under Kellie Harper. WBIT second round game vs Minnesota up next Not since the opening game of the Amaka Agugua-Hamilton era have the Lady Bears faced Minnesota. The Lady Bears beat then-No. 23 Minnesota to tip off a season that saw them win a Missouri Valley Conference championship and be nationally ranked for much of the season. A lot has changed since then. Minnesota is now coached by Dawn Plitzuweit, who previously led South Dakota and West Virginia. Her Gophers finished the season 20-11 and with an 8-10 record in Big Ten play. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State women's basketball destroys Oral Roberts in WBIT
