The Illinois State women's basketball team has earned a trip to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
The Redbirds will play at Missouri in the opening round at 7 p.m. Thursday. ISU missed out on a chance for a repeat trip to the NCAA Tournament when the 'Birds lost to Drake, 74-54, Saturday in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament in Moline. Their record is 24-8 going into the WNIT.
ISU, coached by MVC Coach of the Year Kristen Gillespie, was assured a postseason bid after it won the MVC regular season championship.
The Redbirds are making their third straight postseason appearance for the first time since 2013, when ISU reached the postseason for five consecutive seasons under coaches Robin Pingeton and Stephanie Glance.
Pingeton has been the head coach at Missouri since leaving ISU in 2010.
ISU has played in the WNIT 13 times previously and has compiled a 21-20 all-time record.