The Gophers women's basketball team will end the season where it began.

The Gophers (15-17) earned the No. 2 seed in East bracket of the Women's Basketball Invitational and will play Charleston Southern (17-14) on Friday night at Williams Arena.

"We are excited for the opportunity to continue to play in the postseason," coach Pam Borton said in a statement. "We hit our stride during the Big Ten tournament and this event gives our younger players an opportunity to experience postseason basketball this time of the year."

The Gophers opened the season with three games in Daytona Beach, Fla., as part of the WBI Tip Off Classic. Borton had hoped for a Women's NIT bid after the Gophers lost in the quarterfinals to Penn State at the Big Ten tournament on March 2, but instead they will play in the WBI, a 16-team tournament in its third season.

North Dakota is the No. 8 seed in the West and plays at top-seeded Seattle on Thursday night.

STAFF REPORTS