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Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament — First Round

🇦🇺 California Golden Bears 72 def. Santa Clara Broncos 68 (Final)

California surged late in the fourth quarter to overturn a halftime deficit and eliminate Santa Clara in a tight WBIT first-round contest on Saturday, March 21, 2026 (AEDT).

Australian guard Lulu Twidale delivered a standout all-around performance, finishing with 27 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes. Twidale shot 7-from-22 from the field and 2-from-11 from three, but was highly efficient at the stripe, converting 11-of-11 free throws to help California close the game.

The Golden Bears controlled the glass 51–39, generating 19 offensive rebounds that proved critical in the closing stages. Sakima Walker added 19 points and six rebounds, while Taylor Barnes contributed eight points and eight rebounds.

Santa Clara received 18 points each from Ava Schmidt and Ashley Hawkins, but struggled from the perimeter, shooting 19% from three in the defeat.

🇦🇺 Kansas State Wildcats 69 def. 🇦🇺 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 65 (Final)

Kansas State held off a second-half surge from Georgia Tech to progress in the WBIT, maintaining control in the closing minutes after a tight third-quarter exchange.

Australian guard Tess Heal played a steady playmaking role for the Wildcats, finishing with eight points and five assists in 35 minutes. Heal shot 2-from-5 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line, adding one rebound while helping Kansas State generate consistent half-court offence.

Darwin-born forward Jada Crawshaw didn't play for the Yellow Jackets.

Kansas State placed four starters in double figures, led by Nastja Claessens (15 points) and Taryn Sides (14 points, five assists), as the Wildcats shot 41% from the field and matched Georgia Tech’s 16 made free throws.

Georgia Tech was powered by Talayah Walker’s 29 points and 10 rebounds, but the Yellow Jackets’ 20 turnovers limited their ability to close the gap late.

Kansas State advances with a 19–17 record, while Georgia Tech’s season ends at 14–19 following the first-round defeat.

Eastern Kentucky Colonels 72 def. 🇦🇺 Utah Utes 58 (Final)

Eastern Kentucky controlled the second half to eliminate Utah from the WBIT, outscoring the Utes 43–24 after halftime to turn a narrow early deficit into a comfortable win.

Australian forward Chyra Evans delivered a strong all-around performance for Utah, recording a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds in 29 minutes. Evans shot 6-from-10 from the field, added four assists, two steals and two blocks, and provided consistent interior presence as the Utes tried to maintain scoreboard pressure.

Fellow Australian Grace Foster played nine minutes off the bench, finishing scoreless but contributing one assist and one turnover during her rotation minutes.

Utah received 19 points from Lani White and finished with a 43–32 rebounding advantage, but struggled to contain Eastern Kentucky’s perimeter shooting and transition scoring.

The Colonels were led by Joseana Vaz (24 points, eight rebounds) and Kenleigh Woods (16 points) as Eastern Kentucky shot 42% from the field and capitalised on Utah’s second-half offensive drought to advance.

Rice Owls 66 def. 🇦🇺 Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters 61 (Final)

Rice used a strong second quarter to take control and held off Louisiana Tech late to advance in the WBIT first round.

Australian guard Isla Airey logged five minutes off the bench, finishing scoreless but contributing two offensive rebounds and one block during her rotation stint.

Louisiana Tech stayed within striking distance through the second half behind Paris Bradley’s 17 points and Jianna Morris’ 15 points, but struggled to limit Rice’s perimeter shooting and playmaking.

The Owls were led by Louann Battiston’s 21 points, including five three-pointers, while Hailey Adams added nine assists to steady Rice’s offence. Rice finished with a 38–31 rebounding advantage and matched Louisiana Tech’s 12 made free throws to secure the five-point win.

Wisconsin Badgers 62 def. 🇦🇺 Oregon State Beavers 58 (Final)

Wisconsin built an early lead and held off Oregon State’s second-half push to secure a four-point victory in the WBIT first round.

Australian guard Lizzy Williamson started for the Beavers and played eight minutes, finishing with two points and one rebound while adding an assist in limited rotation time.

Fellow Australian Katelyn Field saw three minutes off the bench, recording one rebound as Oregon State attempted to stabilise its frontcourt depth late.

Oregon State was led by Tiara Bolden’s 23 points and six rebounds, while Jenna Villa added 11 points. The Beavers shot 40% from the field but struggled to generate consistent stops during Wisconsin scoring runs.

Wisconsin received a major boost from the bench, with Dorja Iva Zaja scoring 18 points on 8-from-10 shooting, helping the Badgers shoot 49% overall and control the rebounding battle 36–28.

San Diego State Aztecs 61 def. 🇦🇺 UC Irvine Anteaters 55 (Final)

San Diego State used a strong fourth quarter to pull away and eliminate UC Irvine in the WBIT first round after a tight three-quarter contest.

Australian forward Summah Hanson played 28 minutes, finishing with seven points, five rebounds and four steals. Hanson shot 3-from-10 from the field and 1-from-6 from three, providing defensive pressure on the perimeter as UC Irvine tried to stay within reach late.

The Anteaters were led by Hunter Hernandez’s 19 points and Jada Wynn’s 12 points and nine rebounds, but shot just 35% from the field and struggled to match San Diego State’s free-throw efficiency.

The Aztecs were powered by Naomi Panganiban’s 22 points, including nine-of-nine from the free-throw line, helping San Diego State finish 13-of-13 at the stripe and maintain control in the closing minutes.

🇦🇺 North Dakota State Bison 75 def. Chattanooga Mocs 62 (Final)

North Dakota State built a strong first-half lead and maintained control to advance in the WBIT, despite a late scoring push from Chattanooga in the fourth quarter.

Australian guard Amelia Hobson played 17 minutes off the bench, finishing with four points and two rebounds. Hobson shot 2-from-5 from the field, adding one steal as the Bison rotated their backcourt depth.

North Dakota State featured balanced scoring, led by Avery Koenen’s 16 points and 11 rebounds and Jocelyn Schiller’s 14 points, while Karrington Asp added 13 points on 5-from-6 shooting from the bench.

Chattanooga received a game-high 33 points from Caia Elisaldez, but committed 15 turnovers and struggled to match North Dakota State’s efficiency across the opening three quarters.

What is the WBIT?

The WBIT is a postseason NCAA women’s college basketball tournament that sits just below the main NCAA Women’s Tournament (March Madness) in the postseason structure.

Key facts

• Created in 2024 by the NCAA
• Features teams not selected for the NCAA Tournament
• Designed to provide high-quality postseason opportunities
• Typically includes strong mid-major programs and Power Conference bubble teams
• Games are played at campus sites early, with later rounds often at neutral venues

How it differs from other tournaments

• NCAA Tournament – Main national championship event (March Madness)
• WBIT – Secondary NCAA-run postseason tournament (new pathway)
• WNIT – Separate postseason tournament run by a different organisation

Why it matters

The WBIT has quickly become important for Australian players in NCAA Division I, giving them additional high-stakes games, exposure, and development opportunities after the regular season.