Marquette Opens WNIT Play Against Creighton

March 21, 2008

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette women's basketball team will open the 2008 Women's National Invitation Tournament play at the Al McGuire Center on Monday, March 24 against Creighton. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

The Blue Jays knocked off South Dakota State, 76-69, at Frost Arena on Thursday night to advance to the second round.

The invitation to the WNIT marks the sixth consecutive postseason berth for MU, who complied an 16-14 overall record and a 8-8 mark in BIG EAST play. It is also the 13th post-season appearance in program history, 10th since head coach Terri Mitchell began her tenure at Marquette in 1996.

The Golden Eagles are led by an all-conference backcourt duo of junior Krystal Ellis and freshman Angel Robinson. Ellis, a two-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection has the team's highest scoring average with 18.7 ppg, while Robinson, an all-freshman team honoree, is second with 10.6 ppg. She has scored in double figures in the last five straight games and 20 games this season. The two have combined to grab 134 steals.

Inside, Marquette has leaned on the play of red-shirt freshman Jocelyn Mellen as of late. Mellen is second on the team in rebounds averaging 4.8 per game. She has pulled down 10 or more boards in the last two games including a career-high 16 in the regular season final against USF. The Golden Eagles have not played since their BIG EAST Tournament First Round loss to DePaul on March 8.

Marquette earned an automatic berth into the WNIT by finishing highest in the regular-season BIG EAST standings and not receiving an invitation to the NCAA Tournament. The selection into the WNIT field is the fifth all-time. The Golden Eagles are 6-5 all-time in WNIT/NWIT play.

The Blue Jays enter the game with MU 21-11 overall. They enter the WNIT 11-4 in their last 15 games, after a 1-1 showing and semifinal loss at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Creighton is led by a pair of senior all-conference players in Sara Cain and Ally Thrall. Cain leads the team with 18 double-figure scoring games and 10.5 points per game. Thrall has dished a career-high 111 assists (3.6 per game) and is shooting a career-high 40.7 percent from three-point range.

The Jays are just 8-9 in road games.

The two Jesuit institutions will meet for the just the fifth time in program history, and the first since Jan. 7, 1987.

Tickets are available! Reserved seats are $8 and general admission is $5. For information please call 414-288-GOMU (4668).