Hawkeyes settle for WNIT berth

IOWA CITY — The Iowa Hawkeyes' streak of NCAA women's basketball tournament appearances has come to an end.

After eight consecutive NCAA bids, the Hawkeyes (19-13) were denied an at-large berth during Monday's selections. Instead, they will compete in the WNIT, opening with Ball State (21-9) in a first-round game at 7 p.m. Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa did not permit media to attend Monday's selection get-together, and the university did not release a statement afterward. A press conference is scheduled for Tuesday.

The Hawkeyes slid to the NCAA/WNIT bubble by dropping six of their final 10 games. When the dust cleared Monday, they were one of first four teams on the outside, looking in.

Iowa, which finished in a ninth-place tie in the Big Ten at 8-10, owns an RPI of 58 and a strength of schedule of 31. The Hawkeyes' lack of quality wins hurt; their best victory in terms of RPI was against No. 46 Indiana. And two losses to Penn State were killers.

only 1 top-50 win (Indiana). That's not great for a best win. Did have 9 top-100 wins, which kept them in discussion March 15, 2016

only 1 top-50 win (Indiana). That's not great for a best win. Did have 9 top-100 wins, which kept them in discussion https://t.co/ScRo3msS7y

— Charlie Creme (@CharlieCreme)

But what hurt the Hawkeyes most was a chain of Big Ten losses in which they surrendered double-digit second-half leads, at Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana and Minnesota. Had Iowa won just one of those four games, they likely would have been on the other side of the bubble.

Five Big Ten teams were selected to the NCAA — Maryland, Ohio State, Michigan State, Indiana and Purdue. Six others made the WNIT.

The Hawkeyes' last WNIT appearance came in 2005, when they advanced all the way to the semifinals before losing at Missouri State.

The Iowa-Ball State meeting is the first between the teams. The winner will face Saint Louis or Arkansas-Little Rock in the second round at a site and on a date to be determined.

Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Northern Iowa (22-10) also earned a bid to the WNIT, as did MVC runner-up Drake (22-9).

UNI will play at Nebraska in the first round; Drake hosts Sacred Heart. Both games are Thursday, with the winners playing in Round 2.

This is the first time since 2003 the state of Iowa is not represented in the NCAA women's basketball tournament. Iowa State had been an NCAA qualifier nine straight years, but stumbled to 13-17 this season.

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