Women's Basketball Invited to WNIT; Will Host Syracuse Friday

The University of Hartford women’s basketball team is heading to the Women's National Invitation Tournament  (WNIT) for the third time in program history, earning an at-large bid into the field of 64.

Hartford will host the Syracuse Orange on Friday, March 16, at 7 p.m. at Chase Arena in the Reich Family Pavilion.

For ticket information, contact the Malcolm and Brenda Berman Athletics Ticket Office at 860.768.HAWK (4295) or  tickets@hartford.edu. Ticket prices are $16 for lower chairback, $13 Gallery, and $30 McCullough VIP section. General admission tickets (bleacher seating) are $8. Youth tickets are $7 (all sections except VIP). University of Hartford students with valid ID will be admitted free, courtesy of the Office of the President.

This is the eighth straight season that the Hawks have advanced to the postseason, receiving three WNIT bids and making five trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Hawks' last appearance in the WNIT came in 2009, via the program’s first at-large bid, falling to St. John’s in the opening round. The Hawks also earned the America East’s automatic bid to the WNIT in 2007, defeating Bucknell in the first round before falling to South Carolina in round two. The games against Bucknell and St. John’s were played at Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion.

The Hawks and Orange have met one other time in history, a memorable game in the opening round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, won by Hartford, 59-55. It was the second-ever victory for Hartford in the Big Dance. Syracuse will be the fourth BIG EAST opponent for the Hawks this season, having lost all three previous games (at Notre Dame, at St. John’s and at Providence).

Hartford enters the postseason after falling in the quarterfinals of the America East Championship for the first time since 2004. The Hawks dropped a 48-45 decision to Binghamton in their first game in the America East Championship presented by Newman’s Own. The Hawks enter Friday’s game with a 19-12 overall record.

Junior post Ruthanne Doherty closed out the regular season with nine straight games in double figures and extended that streak into the quarterfinal loss to Binghamton, finishing with 15 points against the Bearcats. Heading into the WNIT, Doherty leads the Hawks in scoring at 12.9 points per game and rebounding with 6.4 rebounds per outing.