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Women's Basketball Travels to Drake in WNIT First Round Saturday
March 17, 2008
GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay women's basketball team will face Missouri Valley Conference member Drake University in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament on Saturday, March 22 in Des Moines, Iowa. Game time will be announced at a later date. The winner of the Drake/Green Bay contest will advance to face the University of Illinois Monday, March 24 in Champaign, Ill. Green Bay's berth in the WNIT marks the program's 11th straight season of postseason play and second trip to the 48-team event in three seasons. The Phoenix is looking for its first WNIT victory since 1992. Green Bay opened the 2007-08 regular season with a 78-66 victory at Drake in the season opener for both teams. The Phoenix went 3-1 during this season against Missouri Valley Conference schools, defeating Missouri State and Southern Illinois while falling to NCAA Tournament qualifier Illinois State in four road games. The Phoenix was unable to secure the Horizon League's automatic berth to the NCAA tournament when Green Bay lost to eventual tournament champion Cleveland State in the semifinal round of the league championship. After also being passed over for an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament, Green Bay was the Horizon League's automatic qualifier for the WNIT by virtue of its regular season title. Drake (22-10) lost in the championship game of the MVC tournament to Illinois State, 70-62. The Bulldogs are led by senior forward Jill Martin, who is ranked in the NCAA in both scoring and rebounding with team bests of 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest. Senior guard Lindsay Whorton is also averaging double figures with 13.6 ppg.
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