# 2002 Women's National Invitation Tournament

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

### East Regional bracket

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

### Midwest Regional bracket

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

### West Regional bracket

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

### Semifinals and championship game

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