WBB Plays At Indiana Thursday for First Round Of WNIT
March 13, 2017 | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State women's basketball team has earned an at-large berth to compete in the 2017 Postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament that consists of 64 teams. The Cardinals will play at Indiana (20-10) Thursday. The time is yet to be determined.
This is the fourth time out of the last five years Ball State will face a Big Ten opponent in the WNIT first round. The Cardinals defeated Minnesota (54-51) in 2013, fell to Northwestern (69-65) in 2014 and then earned a 77-72 victory at Iowa last season.
Ball State will be making its fifth straight WNIT appearance and eighth overall.  The Cardinals went 1-1 in 2002 in their first WNIT postseason experience, beating Louisville (95-84) and then falling in the second round to Valparaiso (77-69). In 2003, the Cardinals defeated Indiana State (91-87) and then fell to Missouri (88-77). In 2007, the Cardinals fell at home to Kentucky (85-82). Ball State advanced to the final 16 in the WNIT in 2012-13 after taking down Big Ten foe Minnesota (54-51) and Northern Iowa (53-48) before the Cardinals lost to Kansas State (60-48). In 2014, Ball State fell 69-65 at Northwestern in the first round and then lost to Middle Tennessee 69-58 in 2015. Last year the Cardinals upset Big Ten foe Iowa in the first round on the road by a score of 77-72 before falling at Saint Louis, 59-55. Ball State is 5-7 all-time in the WNIT.Â
In 2017, Ball State clinched its fourth opening round bye in five years as the second seed in last week's Mid-American Conference Tournament and advanced straight to the quarterfinals, where the Cardinals lost to No. 7 seed Buffalo 69-65.
Last season the Cardinals advanced to the second round of the WNIT for the first time since the 2012-13 season after pulling off a 77-72 upset over Big Ten foe Iowa. Ball State then lost its second round game at Saint Louis, 59-55.
In 2014-15, Ball State earned its way to the WNIT after clinching the MAC West Division title outright for the first time since 2008-09 and earning a double bye to the MAC Tourney semifinals where the Cardinals lost to Eastern Michigan, 75-65. The Cardinals lost on the road to Middle Tennessee in that season's WNIT, 69-58.
The Cardinals earned their way to the WNIT after a seven-game winning streak in 2014, before losing 79-68 to Akron in the 2014 MAC Tournament title game. Ball State lost on the road to Northwestern by a score of 69-64 in the WNIT first round that year.
Ball State made history in 2013, as it won two WNIT games for the first time in program history. During their 2013 WNIT run, the Cardinals knocked off Big Ten foe Minnesota 54-51 on the road and scored a 53-48 win over Northern Iowa at Worthen Arena. In the Final 16 game, the Cardinals suffered a 60-48 loss at Kansas State.
Brady Sallee, who is in his fifth season at Ball State, is the only head coach in program history to take the Cardinals to five straight WNITs. He has led the Cardinals to a 21-10 overall record in 2016-17 which marks only the sixth time in program history Ball State has had a 20+ win season. Sallee is only the second coach to accomplish back-to-back 20+ winning seasons, 2015-16 (22-10) and 2016-17 (21-10).
Sallee is also the only head coach in program history to have five consecutive winning seasons — 17-16 (2012-13), 18-17 (2013-14), 17-12 (2014-15), 21-9 (2015-16) and 21-10 (2016-17).
The Postseason WNIT features 64 NCAA Division I women's basketball teams. The field includes 31 teams that receive automatic berths - one berth from each of the nation's established conferences - and 33 at-large selections. All teams at the NCAA Division I level are considered for at-large berths, including those who are independent and/or are in the process of reaching full NCAA Division I status.
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This is the fourth time out of the last five years Ball State will face a Big Ten opponent in the WNIT first round. The Cardinals defeated Minnesota (54-51) in 2013, fell to Northwestern (69-65) in 2014 and then earned a 77-72 victory at Iowa last season.
Ball State will be making its fifth straight WNIT appearance and eighth overall.  The Cardinals went 1-1 in 2002 in their first WNIT postseason experience, beating Louisville (95-84) and then falling in the second round to Valparaiso (77-69). In 2003, the Cardinals defeated Indiana State (91-87) and then fell to Missouri (88-77). In 2007, the Cardinals fell at home to Kentucky (85-82). Ball State advanced to the final 16 in the WNIT in 2012-13 after taking down Big Ten foe Minnesota (54-51) and Northern Iowa (53-48) before the Cardinals lost to Kansas State (60-48). In 2014, Ball State fell 69-65 at Northwestern in the first round and then lost to Middle Tennessee 69-58 in 2015. Last year the Cardinals upset Big Ten foe Iowa in the first round on the road by a score of 77-72 before falling at Saint Louis, 59-55. Ball State is 5-7 all-time in the WNIT.Â
In 2017, Ball State clinched its fourth opening round bye in five years as the second seed in last week's Mid-American Conference Tournament and advanced straight to the quarterfinals, where the Cardinals lost to No. 7 seed Buffalo 69-65.
Last season the Cardinals advanced to the second round of the WNIT for the first time since the 2012-13 season after pulling off a 77-72 upset over Big Ten foe Iowa. Ball State then lost its second round game at Saint Louis, 59-55.
In 2014-15, Ball State earned its way to the WNIT after clinching the MAC West Division title outright for the first time since 2008-09 and earning a double bye to the MAC Tourney semifinals where the Cardinals lost to Eastern Michigan, 75-65. The Cardinals lost on the road to Middle Tennessee in that season's WNIT, 69-58.
The Cardinals earned their way to the WNIT after a seven-game winning streak in 2014, before losing 79-68 to Akron in the 2014 MAC Tournament title game. Ball State lost on the road to Northwestern by a score of 69-64 in the WNIT first round that year.
Ball State made history in 2013, as it won two WNIT games for the first time in program history. During their 2013 WNIT run, the Cardinals knocked off Big Ten foe Minnesota 54-51 on the road and scored a 53-48 win over Northern Iowa at Worthen Arena. In the Final 16 game, the Cardinals suffered a 60-48 loss at Kansas State.
Brady Sallee, who is in his fifth season at Ball State, is the only head coach in program history to take the Cardinals to five straight WNITs. He has led the Cardinals to a 21-10 overall record in 2016-17 which marks only the sixth time in program history Ball State has had a 20+ win season. Sallee is only the second coach to accomplish back-to-back 20+ winning seasons, 2015-16 (22-10) and 2016-17 (21-10).
Sallee is also the only head coach in program history to have five consecutive winning seasons — 17-16 (2012-13), 18-17 (2013-14), 17-12 (2014-15), 21-9 (2015-16) and 21-10 (2016-17).
The Postseason WNIT features 64 NCAA Division I women's basketball teams. The field includes 31 teams that receive automatic berths - one berth from each of the nation's established conferences - and 33 at-large selections. All teams at the NCAA Division I level are considered for at-large berths, including those who are independent and/or are in the process of reaching full NCAA Division I status.
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