Women’s basketball: ’Dogs to host Santa Clara in WNIT

The Fresno State women’s basketball team will make a ninth straight postseason appearance when it hosts Santa Clara on Friday in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

Tipoff for the opening-round game in the 64-team tournament is 7 p.m.. The Broncos, who lost in the semifinals of the West Coast Conference tournament, enter 23-8.

It will be the second straight trip to the WNIT for Fresno State (21-11) under second-year coach Jaime White after seven consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs were forced to settle for the WNIT bid after failing to protect a 15-point lead in a 55-54 loss to No. 22 Colorado State in the Mountain West Tournament final.

Last season, Fresno State beat San Francisco 79-73 in its WNIT opener at Save Mart Center before losing 83-64 to Saint Mary’s in Moraga.

This story was originally published March 14, 2016 at 8:25 PM with the headline "Women’s basketball: ’Dogs to host Santa Clara in WNIT."