TUSCALOOSA -- The University of Alabama women's basketball team accepted an invitation to play in the 2002 Women’s National Invitation Tournament on Sunday marking the program’s 11th consecutive year of postseason play.

The Crimson Tide is scheduled to open up WNIT play on Wednesday at the University of Missouri. Alabama and Missouri will tip off at 7 p.m. at the Hearnes Center in Columbia, Mo.

Alabama enters the postseason with a 17-11 overall record and will make their third consecutive appearance in the WNIT. UA is 17-15 all-time in postseason play following a 1-1 record in last year’s WNIT.

Missouri, a member of the Big 12 conference, finished the regular season with a 14-14 overall record and a 5-11 mark in conference play. The Tigers have dropped their last six games and have lost 11 of their last 13 games.

Four members of the Pacific-10 were invited to the Women's NIT on Sunday: Southern California, Washington, Oregon State and Oregon.

The conference also had two teams make the NCAA tournament, Stanford and Arizona State.

Southern California plays at San Francisco when the Women's NIT opens Wednesday. Also that night, Oregon is home to St. Mary's, Calif.

On Thursday night, North Texas is at Washington, and Hawaii plays at Oregon State.

The Big Ten and Conference USA each had three teams invited. Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois made it from the Big Ten, while Conference USA's entries were DePaul, Louisville and Houston.

Louisville plays at Ball State on Wednesday. For Ball State, it is the women's first postseason berth.

``It's a good opportunity for the program,'' said junior Amy Zercher. ``It's another first for us at Ball State and shows that the hard work we have put in is paying off. We've had a great season and we are not ready for it to end yet. This gives us another chance.''

The other matchups have Eastern Kentucky at Southwest Missouri State; Delaware at George Washington; UNC-Greensboro at Virginia Tech; Valparaiso at Michigan; Miami at Georgia Tech; and Rice at Houston.

On Thursday, it's also DePaul at Michigan State; Western Kentucky at Illinois; Holy Cross at Vermont; and Siena at St. Joseph's.

First Round
Wednesday, March 13
Delaware (23-6) at George Washington (20-8), 7 p.m.
Louisville (17-12) at Ball State (23-6), 7 p.m.
Miami (18-11) at Georgia Tech (15-13), 7 p.m.
UNC-Greensboro (21-9) at Virginia Tech (18-10), 7 p.m.
Valparaiso (24-6) at Michigan (17-12), 7 p.m.
Alabama (17-11) at Missouri (14-14), 8 p.m.
Eastern Kentucky (22-7) at Southwest Missouri State (16-12), 8 p.m.
Rice (21-8) at Houston (22-7), 8 p.m.
St. Mary's, Calif. (16-12) at Oregon (17-13), 10 p.m.
Southern California (15-13) at San Francisco (18-11), 10 p.m.

Thursday, March 14
DePaul (15-13) at Michigan State (16-12), 7 p.m.
Holy Cross (23-7) at Vermont (21-8), 7 p.m.
Western Kentucky (16-13) at Illinois (14-13), 8 p.m.
Hawaii (23-7) at Oregon State (16-14), 10 p.m.
North Texas (21-8) at Washington (17-11), 10 p.m.
Siena (23-6) at Saint Joseph's (23-7), TBA

Second Round
Dates and Times TBA
Southern California-San Francisco winner vs. North Texas-Washington winner
St. Mary's, Calif.-Oregon winner vs. Hawaii-Oregon State winner
Alabama-Missouri winner vs. Eastern Kentucky-Southwest Missouri State winner
DePaul-Michigan State winner vs. Western Kentucky-Illinois winner
Holy Cross-Vermont winner vs. Siena-Saint Joseph's winner
Delaware-George Washington winner vs. UNC-Greensboro-Virginia Tech winner
Valparaiso-Michigan winner vs. Louisville-Ball State winner
Miami-Georgia Tech winner vs. Rice-Houston winner

Third Round
Dates and Times TBA
Southern California-San Francisco-North Texas-Washington winner vs. St. Mary's, Calif.-Oregon-Hawaii-Oregon State winner
Alabama-Missouri-Eastern Kentucky-Southwest Missouri State winner vs. DePaul-Michigan State-Western Kentucky-Illinois winner
Holy Cross-Vermont-Siena-Saint Joseph's winner vs. Delaware-George Washington-UNC Greensboro-Virginia Tech winner
Valparaiso-Michigan-Louisville-Ball State winner vs. Miami-Georgia Tech-Rice-Houston winner

Semifinals
Dates and Times TBA

Championship
Date and Time TBA