Gophers women’s basketball accepts WNIT bid after missing NCAA and WBIT fields

The Gophers women’s basketball team’s postseason journey — which will start with a first-round WNIT game this week — might not be the trek the team had hoped for. But it will give a young team, one perhaps getting healthy, the opportunity to keep playing.

“We are excited to compete and grow as a team,” Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit said in a news release. “This year we have had some incredible moments, faced adversity, but through it all we have continued to develop and improve. Getting the opportunity to be a part of the WNIT is a a great honor, and we’re ready to get back on the court.”

The Gophers (16-15) were notified of the bid Sunday night. Their first-round matchup -- which, because of the upcoming state high school boys basketball tournament, will likely be on the road — and the entire tournament bracket will come out Monday.

The Gophers did not qualify for the NCAA tournament. Nor were they picked for the inaugural NCAA-run, 32-team Women’s Invitational Basketball Tournament.

The Big Ten sent seven teams to the NCAA tournament (Iowa, Ohio State, Indiana, Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State and Maryland). Both Illinois and Penn State made the WBIT field, with Penn State receiving a No. 1 seed. Minnesota, Wisconsin and Purdue got WNIT bids.

Beset by injuries to leading scorer Mara Braun (right foot) and starting center Sophie Hart (left hip) — one or both could return for the WNIT — the Gophers finished the regular season on a 1-10 run. They were 5-13 in the Big Ten’s regular season and 1-1 in the Big Ten tournament, beating Rutgers before losing to Michigan at Target Center.

But with both Braun and Hart in the lineup, the Gophers were 14-4 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten — and a projected NCAA team — after a 19-point victory over Michigan State Jan. 20.

First-round WNIT games will be played Wednesday through Friday this week. Second round games will be played March 23-26, third-round games March 27-29. Quarterfinals will be played March 20, 31 or April 1. Semifinals games will be played April 3 or April 4, with the title game scheduled for April 6.