The Portland Pilots women’s basketball team will host the Sam Houston State Bearkats in the opening round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) at the Chiles Center on March 19 at 6 p.m.
This matchup marks another postseason appearance for the Pilots, who qualified for the WNIT for the fourth time in program history. The team has now reached postseason play 14 times overall. If they win against Sam Houston, they will advance to face the Lamar Cardinals in the second round, with details about that game yet to be determined.
The Pilots last played in the WNIT in 2022, where they earned their first-ever tournament win by defeating Colorado State at home. Last season, Portland participated in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) for the first time and achieved victories over Stanford and Seton Hall before falling to Villanova in the quarterfinals. That season was one of their most successful, as they set several program records and finished with a record-breaking 31 wins. Under head coach Michael Meek, Portland has secured five postseason wins over seven seasons after previously having none.
During this regular season, Portland posted an overall record of 18-14 and went 11-7 in West Coast Conference play. They finished among the top five teams in conference standings for six out of seven seasons under Meek’s leadership. In this year’s conference tournament, they defeated Washington State before losing to Oregon State in the quarterfinals.
The WNIT is a 48-team tournament beginning March 19 and running through April 4, with all games held at selected host sites. Fans can find ticket information and updates on future games by visiting PortlandPilots.com.
