Southern Likely Turning Down WNIT Bid Due to Finances

[TexasTerror]

Not good news out of Baton Rouge for the financially-strapped SWAC school... guess those who made light of the situation are waking up to reality with the comments from the head women's coach...


GARLAND, Texas—The Southern University women's basketball team would not accept the invitation to the postseason Women's National Invitational Tournament, 11-year coach Sandy Pugh said after Saturday's 48-44 loss to Prairie View in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament championship game.

The Women's NIT will release its 64-team bracket 7 p.m. Monday.

"I've been told we're not going to accept the invitation so I don't know how that will play out," said Pugh, drawing a look of surprise from senior guard Hannah Kador. "I'd like to go but finances are what they are, so we'll see."

http://www.southerndigest.com/pugh-su-would-not-accept-wnit-invite-1.2511861

[TexasTerror]

AD confirms...


The Lady Panthers (21-11) earned the SWAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Southern (20-11) is coming home.

Athletic Director Greg LaFleur said SU will turn down a bid to the WNIT because of concerns over travel costs.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/blogs/jaguarnation/117868449.html

[TexasTerror]

Further explanation...


“I’m being told that we’re not going to accept the (WNIT) invitation, so I don’t know how that’s going to play out,” Pugh said. “I’d like to go, but finances are what they are.”

Saturday night, Athletic Director Greg LaFleur confirmed Southern’s decision to bow out, citing what could’ve been a big bill for traveling a long distance on short notice.

The NCAA pays all travel expenses for teams who reach the tournament, but WNIT teams must pay travel expenses themselves.

“We would love the women to go somewhere. But we were trying to get some kind of guarantee that wherever they would send us would be within driving distance,” LaFleur said.

“With the position our athletic department is in, we can’t afford to gamble on having them send us somewhere far off, where we’d have to fly.”

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/SU-women-fall-to-PVU-in-SWAC-title-game.html?showAll=y&c=y

[TexasTerror]

Alums came through to bail the school out...

Glad to see that Southern is going to be able to do the WNIT...

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/latest/SU-headed-for-WNIT-after-all.html

[GeauxLions94]

Alums came through to bail the school out...

Glad to see that Southern is going to be able to do the WNIT...

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/latest/SU-headed-for-WNIT-after-all.html

Never pass up a trip to the postseason

[OhioHen]

Never pass up a trip to the postseason

There are a number of men's programs that choose to pass up the "pay to play" options for teams that don't make the NCAA or NIT.

[BEAR]

The UCA women, the seventh seed in the East Region, were awarded the home game after the second-seeded Blazers turned it down. If the UAB men’s team defeats Clemson in its NCAA tourney game tonight, they will play West Virginia in a second-round game Thursday night in Tampa, Fla.

Why would the Blazers turn down a home game?