Purdue women's basketball continues postseason, accepts WNIT bid

Ethan Hanson, Lafayette Journal & Courier

WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue women's basketball is going dancing, just not in the NCAA tournament.

The Boilermakers had their 2024 season extended after accepting an invitation to the 26th annual Women's National Invitational Tournament.

Purdue (13-18) joins Wisconsin (13-16) and Minnesota (16-15) as Big Ten Conference teams playing as at-large qualifiers.

More: How Purdue women's basketball earned its first Big Ten road victory

Purdue forward Mary Ashley Stevenson (20) handles the basketball as Nebraska forward Natalie Potts (22) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big Ten women's tournament Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Purdue forward Mary Ashley Stevenson (20) handles the basketball as Nebraska forward Natalie Potts (22) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big Ten women's tournament Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

The WNIT features a 48-team field consisting of 11 automatic qualifiers and 37 at-large bids.

Purdue is led by Big Ten Freshman of the Year Mary Ashley Stevenson (9.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG), along with leading scorers seniors Abbey Ellis (14.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG) and Madison Layden (9.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG), and Big Ten first-team selection Rashunda Jones (8.0 PPG, 2.2 RPG).

More: Aussie native Abbey Ellis creates legacy for Purdue women's basketball

Full brackets, tournament locations and first-round matchups will be announced Monday. Here's a look at the teams Purdue potentially could face.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Madison Layden #33 passes the ball against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Second Round of the Big Ten Tournament at Target Center on March 07, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Purdue Boilermakers guard Madison Layden #33 passes the ball against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Second Round of the Big Ten Tournament at Target Center on March 07, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Automatic qualifiers

  • Colgate (18-13), Patriot

  • Grambling (22-9), Southwestern Athletic

  • Le Moyne (18-13), Northeast

  • Monmouth (21-9), Coastal Athletic

  • Niagara (20-13), Metro Athletic

  • Northern Arizona (25-9), Big Sky

  • South Carolina Upstate (16-15), Big South

  • Southern Indiana (24-6), Ohio Valley

  • Stetson (17-14), Atlantic Sun

  • UAlbany (25-6), America East

  • UNC Greensboro (21-11), Southern

Hailey Weaver #11 of the Northwestern Wildcats attempts to block the shot of Abbey Ellis #23 of the Purdue Boilermakers in the First Round of the Big Ten Tournament at Target Center on March 06, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Hailey Weaver #11 of the Northwestern Wildcats attempts to block the shot of Abbey Ellis #23 of the Purdue Boilermakers in the First Round of the Big Ten Tournament at Target Center on March 06, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

At-large qualifiers

Boise State (21-13), Mountain West

  • Bowling Green (16-14), Mid-American

  • Buffalo (19-13), Mid-American

  • Butler (14-16), Big East

  • Central Arkansas (21-11), Atlantic Sun

  • Charleston (21-9), Colonial

  • Cincinnati (14-17), Big 12

  • Duquesne (20-12), Atlantic 10

  • Eastern Kentucky (22-11), Atlantic Sun

  • Florida International (20-11), Conference USA

  • Illinois State (21-11), Missouri Valley

  • Louisiana-Monroe (19-13), Sun Belt

  • Montana (22-9), Big Sky

  • Murray State (20-11), Missouri Valley

  • North Carolina A&T (20-11), Colonial

  • North Dakota State (21-11), Summit

  • Northern Colorado (15-15), Big Sky

  • Northern Iowa (16-15), Missouri Valley

  • Old Dominion (22-9), Sun Belt

  • Oral Roberts (21-10), Summit

  • Pacific (18-14), West Coast

  • Providence (13-20), Big East

  • Purdue (13-18), Big Ten

  • Purdue Fort Wayne (21-12), Horizon

  • Saint Louis (16-18), Atlantic 10

  • South Dakota (21-12), Summit

  • Southern Miss (18-13), Sun Belt

  • Stephen F. Austin (22-12), Western Athletic

  • Troy (19-11), Sun Belt

  • UAB (18-13), American Athletic

  • UC Riverside (18-13), Big West

  • UI-Chicago (18-15), Missouri Valley

  • UT San Antonio (17-14), American

  • Vermont (22-11), America East

  • Wyoming (16-14), Mountain West

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue women's basketball accepts WNIT invitation

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