2002 Women's National Invitation Tournament

2002 Women's National Invitation Tournament

Teams	32
Finals site	McArthur Court Eugene, Oregon
Champions	Oregon (1st title)
Runner-up	Houston (1st title game)
Winning coach	Bev Smith (1st title)
MVP	Cathrine Kraayeveld (Oregon)
Women's National Invitation Tournaments «2001 2003»

The 2002 Women's National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 NCAA Division I teams that were not selected to participate in the 2002 Women's NCAA tournament. It was the fifth edition of the postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).

The final four of the tournament paired Houston against Virginia Tech and Michigan State against Oregon. Houston upended Virginia Tech, 77–72, while Oregon beat Michigan State, 65–54.

The final pitted Houston and Oregon. In a close game, Oregon pulled out the victory for their first WNIT Championship, 54–52. Oregon had previously won the National Women's Invitational Tournament (NWIT) title in 1989.

Bracket

Visiting teams in first round are listed first. Source

South Regional bracket

	First Round				Second Round				Quarterfinals
	Miami (FL)	73
	Georgia Tech	64
					Miami (FL)	76
					Houston	83
	Rice	65
	Houston	67
									Houston	61
									Valparaiso	53
	Valparaiso	62
	Michigan	49
					Valparaiso	77
					Ball State	69
	Louisville	84
	Ball State	95

East Regional bracket

	First Round				Second Round				Quarterfinals
	Siena	55
	Saint Joseph's (PA)	84
					Saint Joseph's (PA)	55
					Vermont	60
	Holy Cross	63
	Vermont	70
									Vermont	48
									Virginia Tech	76
	Delaware	71
	George Washington	78
					George Washington	52
					Virginia Tech	68
	North Carolina-Greensboro	45
	Virginia Tech	51

Midwest Regional bracket

	First Round				Second Round				Quarterfinals
	Alabama	68
	Missouri	67
					Alabama	99
					Eastern Kentucky	77
	Eastern Kentucky	72
	Southwest Missouri State	65 (OT)
									Alabama	61
									Michigan State	79
	DePaul	76
	Michigan State	87
					Michigan State	70
					Illinois	57
	Western Kentucky	84
	Illinois	91

West Regional bracket

	First Round				Second Round				Quarterfinals
	Hawai'i	50
	Oregon State	62
					Oregon State	48
					Oregon	50
	Saint Mary's (CA)	61
	Oregon	72
									Oregon	77
									Washington	73
	Southern California	72
	San Francisco	53
					Southern California	87
					Washington	97
	North Texas	61
	Washington	82

Semifinals and championship game

	Semifinals, March 23, 2002					Finals, March 27, 2002
	S	Houston	77
	E	Virginia Tech	72
						Houston		52
						Oregon		54
	MW	Michigan State	54
	W	Oregon	65

All-tournament team

• Cathrine Kraayeveld, Oregon (MVP)
• Shaquala Williams, Oregon
• Chandi Jones, Houston
• Valerie Muoneke, Houston
• Vnemina Reese, Michigan State
• Ieva Kubliņa, Virginia Tech

Source:

See also

• 2002 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 2002 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
• 2002 National Invitation Tournament