The San Diego State women’s basketball team will play UC Irvine in the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) on Thursday, March 19, at 6 p.m. The game will take place at the University of San Diego’s Jenny Craig Pavilion because Viejas Arena is being used for the men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.
This matchup gives both teams a chance to continue their seasons after strong performances. The Aztecs finished with a 25-5 record and won the Mountain West regular season title with a 19-1 conference record. They have reached postseason play in three of the last four years and set a school record for three-pointers this season while also being on track for their best assist-to-turnover ratio.
UC Irvine enters the tournament with a 26-6 record and was crowned Big West regular season champion after going 17-3 in conference play. The Anteaters lost to Hawai’i in overtime during the Big West Tournament semifinals. Historically, San Diego State leads the series against UC Irvine 21-9, but UC Irvine won their most recent meeting in the 2023 Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
Thursday’s game will be streamed on ESPN+. If San Diego State wins, they will face either Texas A&M or McNeese State in the second round on March 22. Should both SDSU and McNeese State win their opening games, SDSU would again host at USD on Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets for Thursday’s game go on sale Monday.
The WBIT is a new NCAA-owned postseason event launched in 2024 featuring 32 teams. The first three rounds are played at campus sites before moving to Wichita, Kansas, for the semifinals and finals at Charles Koch Arena. Only half of the field is seeded by the selection committee; remaining teams are placed geographically.
