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Tulsa Women's Basketball Selected to 2002 Preseason WNIT Field
6/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
June 27, 2002
Tulsa, Oklahoma - The University of Tulsa women's basketball team is one of 16 teams from around the nation chosen to compete in the 2002 Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
Tulsa, which completed the 2001-02 campaign with the best season in school history of 17-13, will make its first-ever appearance in the preseason tournament. The Golden Hurricane returns nine letterwinners, including three starters, two redshirts and will feature four newcomers on its roster for the 2002-03 season. One newcomer on the 2002-03 squad is All-America candidate Allison Curtin. Curtin transferred to Tulsa last August from the University of Illinois and was forced to sit out the 2001-02 season due to NCAA transfer rule. Prior to Tulsa, Curtin was a two-time All-Big Ten First Team guard for the Illini.
Tulsa will open the season in Springfield, Mo., against Southwest Missouri State on Nov. 15, the earliest start for a season in school history. TU and SMS have not met since The University of Tulsa reinstated the women's basketball program in 1996-97, but did meet seven times between 1980-87. The Bears, who finished last season 16-13 overall and played in the postseason WNIT, leads the overall series between the two schools, 5-2.
"The Preseason WNIT is a great opportunity for our program and players," fourth-year head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said. "It's an honor to be selected and to represent the Western Athletic Conference in the field of 16 teams. Our players have been preparing for the upcoming season since our final game last March. This is a fantastic way to tip-off the season. I think our selection to the Preseason WNIT gives us great recognition and validates the progress of our basketball program.
"Southwest Missouri State is a very good team and will be an early test for our players. The game will definitely prepare us for our tough preseason schedule."
The field for the prestigious tournament that kicks off the women's college basketball season includes teams expected to be ranked in the Top 25 such as Kansas State, Penn State, Colorado State and Mississippi State. All games will be played on home campuses, which are determined after each round.
The tournament opens Friday, Nov. 15, with second-round games on Nov. 17, semifinals on Nov. 20, and the championship on Nov. 24.
The event features 12 teams who played in the postseason last season: Kansas State, Colorado State, Penn State, Mississippi State, Syracuse, Bucknell, Ball State, Georgia Tech, San Francisco, Southern Cal, Siena and Southwest Missouri State.
In last year's tournament, top-ranked University of Connecticut began its undefeated season by winning the Preseason WNIT title with a victory over No.3 Vanderbilt.
First-round games: Ball State at Kansas State North Carolina-Charlotte at Georgia Tech San Francisco at Colorado State Bucknell at Penn State Northern Arizona at Southern Cal Syracuse at Siena South Alabama at Mississippi State Tulsa at Southwest Missouri State
