McNeese women’s basketball will play against San Diego State in the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) on Sunday, March 22. The game is scheduled for 4 p.m. Central Time at Jenny Craig Pavilion in San Diego and will be streamed on ESPN+.
This matchup follows McNeese’s notable 68-48 victory over Texas A&M last Thursday, marking the Cowgirls’ first NCAA-sponsored postseason win and their first win over a Power Four school since the conference was established. The team, currently holding a 29-5 record, is one of only two teams to upset a No. 1 seed in this season’s WBIT.
The Cowgirls have achieved significant milestones this year, including the best turnaround in Division I women’s basketball with a 19-win improvement from last season’s record. If they secure another victory, McNeese would become just the third Southland Conference team to reach 30 wins in a single season, joining Stephen F. Austin (1989) and UL-Monroe (1985).
San Diego State enters the contest as Mountain West Conference regular season champions with a 26-5 record, tying their school record for wins after defeating UC Irvine in the previous round. This marks their third postseason appearance in four years.
Head coach Ayla Guzzardo has led McNeese through an impressive season that includes winning a program-best 21 Southland Conference games and achieving a school-record winning streak of 21 games between December and March. The roster features standout players such as Jalencia Pierre, Kaili Chamberlin, Lexi Alexander, Dakota Howard, and Arianna Patton.
Looking ahead, both teams aim to advance further in the tournament while building on their historic seasons.
