Alabama A&M, Troy Earn Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament Bids

Both teams will compete in the postseason tournament after standout regular seasons.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:28am

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Alabama A&M and Troy's women's basketball teams have accepted bids to compete in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT). Alabama A&M will travel to face No. 1 seed BYU in the first round on Thursday, while Troy will play at No. 2 seed Kansas. Tipoff times have not been announced, but the games will be streamed on ESPN+.

Why it matters

This is a significant achievement for both programs, as Alabama A&M clinched the SWAC regular-season championship and Troy finished as the runner-up in the Sun Belt Conference tournament. The WBIT provides an opportunity for these teams to continue their seasons and compete at the postseason level.

The details

Alabama A&M enters the tournament with a 22-10 overall record after falling to eventual SWAC tournament champion Southern in the semifinals. This is the Bulldogs' second straight postseason appearance, having played in the Women's National Invitational Tournament last season. Troy, meanwhile, will make its third postseason appearance, advancing to the WNIT championship game last year. The Trojans finished the regular season 25-7 overall.

  • The WBIT first-round games will be played on Thursday.
  • Alabama A&M clinched the SWAC regular-season championship this season.

The players

Dawn Thornton

The SWAC Coach of the Year, leading Alabama A&M to its first regular-season conference championship since joining the league.

Chanda Rigby

The head coach of the Troy Trojans, who will be making their third postseason appearance.

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What they’re saying

“It's an honor to be a part of the first Troy women's basketball team to be invited to the NCAA's WBIT. The tournament is full of great competitors, and competing at this level in the postseason will be a boost to our program.”

— Chanda Rigby, Troy Head Coach

What’s next

Tipoff times for the first-round WBIT games have yet to be announced, but the matchups are set, with Alabama A&M facing BYU and Troy taking on Kansas.

The takeaway

These postseason bids represent significant milestones for the Alabama A&M and Troy women's basketball programs, as they continue to build momentum and establish themselves as competitive forces in their respective conferences.