Bearkats return to postseason for the first time since 2013 after 18-win season under coach Ravon Justice
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Sam Houston women’s basketball is headed back to the postseason for the first time in more than a decade after earning a bid to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, according to a release from Triple Crown Sports on Sunday evening.
The Bearkats will travel to Portland, Oregon, to face the Portland Pilots on Thursday at the Chiles Center in the opening round. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT. Broadcast information for the game had not been finalized as of Sunday.
The winner of the matchup will advance to face Lamar in the second round at a date, time and location yet to be determined.
Return to postseason play
The selection marks the first postseason appearance for the program since the 2012-13 season and only the second WNIT berth in school history.
That 2012-13 Bearkat team earned an at-large bid after finishing as co-champions of the Southland Conference with an 18-15 record. Sam Houston fell 65-57 to Tulane in the opening round of the tournament.
This year’s team, led by head coach Ravon Justice, finished the regular season 18-12 overall and tied for third in Conference USA with an 11-7 conference record. The Bearkats entered the Conference USA tournament as the No. 4 seed but were eliminated in the quarterfinals following an 89-57 loss to Liberty.
Picked to finish seventh in the Conference USA preseason poll, Sam Houston exceeded expectations and secured its highest seed in the conference tournament since joining Conference USA.
The Bearkats also produced their best season since the 2019-20 campaign, when the program went 19-10.
Standout performances
Defense played a major role in Sam Houston’s success this season.
Guard Fanta Kone earned Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year honors while also being named to the All-Conference First Team, All-Defensive Team and All-Academic Team.
Forward Deborah Ogayemi added All-Conference Second Team honors after entering the season as a preseason all-conference selection.
The Bearkats relied heavily on defensive pressure throughout the season, with Kone anchoring a unit that forced turnovers and helped keep Sam Houston competitive against top teams in Conference USA.
Portland’s postseason experience
Portland enters Thursday’s matchup with an 18-14 overall record and an 11-7 mark in the West Coast Conference.
The Pilots advanced two rounds in the West Coast Conference Tournament last week, defeating Washington State before being eliminated by Oregon State in the quarterfinals.
Portland is making its 14th all-time postseason appearance and its fourth trip to the WNIT. The Pilots last appeared in the tournament in 2022.
Thursday’s game will mark the opening round of the 48-team WNIT field.
Tournament schedule
The 48-team WNIT begins Thursday, March 19, with first-round games running through March 21.
Second-round games are scheduled for March 22-24, followed by the Super 16 from March 25-27 and the Great 8 from March 28-30. The Fab 4 will be played March 31 and April 1, with the championship game scheduled for April 4.
All tournament games are played at campus sites hosted by participating teams.
How to watch and listen
The game will be played Thursday at the Chiles Center in Portland, Oregon, with tipoff set for 8 p.m. CT.
At the time of publication, official television and streaming details had not yet been announced by the WNIT. Updated broadcast information will be available through the Sam Houston Athletics website at:
Fans can also follow live statistics and game updates through the official Sam Houston athletics site on game day.