MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The NCAA women’s basketball tournament absence for Minnesota has reached five straight years.
The Gophers (20-12) were excluded from the 64-team field when it was finalized Monday. They’ll play instead in the WNIT for a second straight season, hosting Wisconsin-Green Bay in the first round Wednesday.
The Gophers finished sixth in the Big Ten, but they went 0-8 against top-five teams Penn State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Iowa and Purdue. They beat regular season conference champions Navy, Chattanooga, Colorado State and North Dakota, but they also lost to UCLA, Hawaii and Creighton — teams ranked well below the top 50 in the Ratings Percentage Index. The RPI is a barometer for the selection committee.
Minnesota went to six NCAA tournaments in coach Pam Borton’s first seven seasons but not since 2009.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.