# 2021 Women's National Invitation Tournament

The 2021 Women's National Invitation Tournament was a tournament of 32 NCAA Division I teams that were not selected to participate in the 2021 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. The tournament committee announced the 32-team field on March 15, 2021, following the selection of the NCAA Tournament field. The tournament began on March 19, 2021, with the championship game on March 28, 2021. Rice won its first WNIT championship. All games were streamed on FloSports.

## Format changes

Changes were made in order to ensure continued viability for the tournament during the COVID-19 pandemic. The field of teams was halved from 64 to 32. Games were not held on-campus; instead there were regional sites. Each conference was not guaranteed an automatic bid as they have been in the past. Teams also were not required to have at least a .500 record.

## Participants

The 2021 WNIT field consisted of nine automatic invitations and twenty-three at-large teams. Automatic bids were given to regular season conference champions that did not win their conference tournaments, except for WAC regular season and conference tournament champion California Baptist, since they are still in transition to Division I and are ineligible to participate in the NCAA Women's Tournament until 2023.
Source:

## Bracket

* – Denotes overtime period

### Charlotte Regional – Charlotte, North Carolina

* Played at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
| First round March 19 | First round March 19 | First round March 19 | Second round March 20 | Second round March 20 | Second round March 20 | Quarterfinals March 22 | Quarterfinals March 22 | Quarterfinals March 22 |
| Fordham | Fordham | 49 | | | | | | |
| Delaware | Delaware | 77 | | | | | | |
| Delaware | Delaware | 77 | Delaware | Delaware | 87 | | | |
| | | | Clemson | Clemson | 74 | | | |
| Ohio | Ohio | 60 | Clemson | Clemson | 74 | | | |
| Clemson | Clemson | 65 | | | | | | |
| Clemson | Clemson | 65 | | | | Delaware | Delaware | 77 |
| | | | | | | Villanova | Villanova | 70 |
| Charlotte | Charlotte | 65 | | | | | | | Villanova | Villanova | 70 |
| Florida | Florida | 66 | | | | | | |
| Florida | Florida | 66 | Florida | Florida | 57 | | | |
| | | | Villanova | Villanova | 77 | | | |
| UMass | UMass | 51 | Villanova | Villanova | 77 | | | |
| Villanova | Villanova | 78 | | | | | | |
Consolation Games
| March 20 | March 20 | March 20 | March 22 | March 22 | March 22 |
| Fordham | Fordham | 65 | | | |
| Ohio | Ohio | 81 | | | |
| Ohio | Ohio | 81 | Ohio | Ohio | 71 |
| | | | UMass | UMass | 95 |
| Charlotte | Charlotte | 75 | UMass | UMass | 95 |
| UMass | UMass | 81 | | | |

### Fort Worth Regional – Fort Worth, Texas

* Played at Wilkerson–Greines Activity Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
| First round March 19 | First round March 19 | First round March 19 | Second round March 20 | Second round March 20 | Second round March 20 | Quarterfinals March 22 | Quarterfinals March 22 | Quarterfinals March 22 |
| Arizona State | Arizona State | 36 | | | | | | |
| Rice | Rice | 48 | | | | | | |
| Rice | Rice | 48 | Rice | Rice | 87 | | | |
| | | | Fresno State | Fresno State | 73 | | | |
| Fresno State | Fresno State | 78 | Fresno State | Fresno State | 73 | | | |
| Missouri | Missouri | 75 | | | | | | |
| Missouri | Missouri | 75 | | | | Rice | Rice | 79 |
| | | | | | | California Baptist | California Baptist | 55 |
| San Francisco | San Francisco | 71 | | | | | | | California Baptist | California Baptist | 55 |
| Houston | Houston | 63 | | | | | | |
| Houston | Houston | 63 | San Francisco | San Francisco | 82 | | | |
| | | | California Baptist | California Baptist | 90 | | | |
| California Baptist | California Baptist | 90 | California Baptist | California Baptist | 90 | | | |
| New Mexico | New Mexico | 85 | | | | | | |
Consolation Games
| March 20 | March 20 | March 20 | March 22 | March 22 | March 22 |
| Arizona State | Arizona State | 50 | | | |
| Missouri | Missouri | 39 | | | |
| Missouri | Missouri | 39 | Arizona State | Arizona State | 48 |
| | | | Houston | Houston | 50 |
| Houston | Houston | | Houston | Houston | 50 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico | | | | |

### Memphis Regional – Collierville, Tennessee

* Played at My Town Movers Fieldhouse in Collierville, Tennessee.
| First round March 19 | First round March 19 | First round March 19 | Second round March 20 | Second round March 20 | Second round March 20 | Quarterfinals March 22 | Quarterfinals March 22 | Quarterfinals March 22 |
| UT Martin | UT Martin | 46 | | | | | | |
| Nebraska | Nebraska | 72 | | | | | | |
| Nebraska | Nebraska | 72 | Nebraska | Nebraska | 71 | | | |
| | | | Colorado | Colorado | 75 | | | |
| Louisiana | Louisiana | 45 | Colorado | Colorado | 75 | | | |
| Colorado | Colorado | 68 | | | | | | |
| Colorado | Colorado | 68 | | | | Colorado | Colorado | 56 |
| | | | | | | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | 65 |
| Samford | Samford | 45 | | | | | | | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | 65 |
| Ole Miss | Ole Miss | 64 | | | | | | |
| Ole Miss | Ole Miss | 64 | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | 72 | | | |
| | | | Tulane | Tulane | 61 | | | |
| Illinois State | Illinois State | 67 | Tulane | Tulane | 61 | | | |
| Tulane | Tulane | 75 | | | | | | |
Consolation Games
| March 20 | March 20 | March 20 | March 22 | March 22 | March 22 |
| UT Martin | UT Martin | 58 | | | |
| Louisiana | Louisiana | 48 | | | |
| Louisiana | Louisiana | 48 | UT Martin | UT Martin | 64 |
| | | | Illinois State | Illinois State | 59 |
| Samford | Samford | 62 | Illinois State | Illinois State | 59 |
| Illinois State | Illinois State | 68 | | | |

### Rockford Regional – Rockford, Illinois

* Played at UW Health Sports Factory in Rockford, Illinois.
| First round March 19 | First round March 19 | First round March 19 | Second round March 20 | Second round March 20 | Second round March 20 | Quarterfinals March 22 | Quarterfinals March 22 | Quarterfinals March 22 |
| Northern Iowa | Northern Iowa | 70 | | | | | | |
| Dayton | Dayton | 56 | | | | | | |
| Dayton | Dayton | 56 | Northern Iowa | Northern Iowa | 64 | | | |
| | | | Creighton | Creighton | 63 | | | |
| Creighton | Creighton | 72 | Creighton | Creighton | 63 | | | |
| Bowling Green | Bowling Green | 65 | | | | | | |
| Bowling Green | Bowling Green | 65 | | | | Northern Iowa | Northern Iowa | 58 |
| | | | | | | Saint Louis | Saint Louis | 50 |
| Saint Louis | Saint Louis | 74 | | | | | | | Saint Louis | Saint Louis | 50 |
| DePaul | DePaul | 72 | | | | | | |
| DePaul | DePaul | 72 | Saint Louis | Saint Louis | 61 | | | |
| | | | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | 44 | | | |
| Milwaukee | Milwaukee | 84 | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | 44 | | | |
| Drake | Drake | 46 | | | | | | |
Consolation Games
| March 20 | March 20 | March 20 | March 22 | March 22 | March 22 |
| Dayton | Dayton | 76 | | | |
| Bowling Green | Bowling Green | 77 | | | |
| Bowling Green | Bowling Green | 77 | Bowling Green | Bowling Green | 68 |
| | | | Drake | Drake | 78 |
| DePaul | DePaul | 91 | Drake | Drake | 78 |
| Drake | Drake | 100 | | | |

### Semifinals and Championship Game – Collierville, Tennessee

* Played at My Town Movers Fieldhouse in Collierville, Tennessee.
| Semifinals March 26 | Semifinals March 26 | Semifinals March 26 | Championship Game March 28 | Championship Game March 28 | Championship Game March 28 |
| Delaware | Delaware | 75 | | | |
| Rice | Rice | 85 | | | |
| Rice | Rice | 85 | Rice | Rice | 71 |
| | | | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | 58 |
| Ole Miss | Ole Miss | 60 | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | 58 |
| Northern Iowa | Northern Iowa | 50 | | | |

#### Semifinals

Rice scored the first six points in a semi final game against Delaware, but the blue hens responded to tie up the game at 12 points apiece. Shortly thereafter Rice went on an 11 – 0 run to open up a double-digit lead. Rice held a comfortable lead for most of the game although Delaware cut the lead to seven points in the final minute. Delaware was forced to foul and Rice made the free throws to extend the lead back to double digits, and finished with a 10 point win 85–75. Lauren Schwartz was the leading scorer for Rice with 25 points matched by Jasmine Dickey 25 points for Delaware. Rice hit 54% of their field goal attempts, and did even better beyond the arc hitting nine of 16 for 56%.
In the other semifinal, Mississippi pulled out to a small three point lead 14 – 11 little more than halfway through the first quarter but then held no than Iowa scoreless for about six minutes extending the lead to double digits 22–11. Mississippi continue to lead throughout the game and ending up winning by 10 points 60–50. the wind moved Mississippi into the title game, the first SEC team to advance to the WN night title game since Auburn won the tournament in 2003.
* Friday, March 26, 2021 4:00 pm (CT)
Delaware 75, Rice 85 :
| Scoring by quarter: 16–26, 10–18, 26–23, 23–18 |||
| Pts: 25 – Dickey Rebs: 13 – Dickey Asts: 4 – Dickey | Pts: 25 – Schwartz Rebs: 11 – Mulkey Asts: 7 – Wiggins |
* My Town Movers Fieldhouse Collierville, Tennessee Attendance: 300
* Friday, March 26, 2021 7:00 pm (CT)
Ole Miss 60, Northern Iowa 50 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–11, 11–12, 18–14, 11–13 |||
| Pts: 18 – Austin Rebs: 11 – Scott Asts: 6 – Reid | Pts: 16 – Rucker Rebs: 8 – Maahs Asts: 5 – Rucker |
* My Town Movers Fieldhouse Collierville, Tennessee Attendance: 300

#### Championship

In the championship game, Rice led most of the game opening up a double-digit lead in the third quarter. in the fourth quarter Rice had a 14 point lead with just over seven minutes to go when Mississippi held Rice scoreless for three minutes and cut the lead to four points 58–54. Rice responded, outscoring the rebels 13–4 in the final four minutes of the game to win their first WNIT championship. Lauren Swarts and Nancy Mulkey each had 19 points for Rice. Shakira Austin had 25 points for Mississippi, the only Rebel player in double-digits.
* Sunday, March 28, 2021 1:00 pm (CT)
* Box score
Rice 71, Ole Miss 58 :
| Scoring by quarter: 17–13, 17–10, 18–17, 19–18 |||
| Pts: 19 – Tied Rebs: 12 – Mulkey Asts: 6 – Wiggins | Pts: 25 – Austin Rebs: 9 – Austin Asts: 4 – Nesbitt |
* My Town Movers Fieldhouse Collierville, Tennessee Attendance: 600

## All-tournament team

* Nancy Mulkey (Rice), MVP
* Lauren Schwartz (Rice)
* Shakira Austin (Ole Miss)
* Donnetta Johnson (Ole Miss)
* Jasmine Dickey (Delaware)
* Kam Finley (Northern Iowa)
Source: