USI to Face George Washington in WNIT Second Round

Screaming Eagles take on Revolutionaries after GWU's win over Bradley

Mar. 21, 2026 at 2:48am

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The USI Screaming Eagles will face the George Washington Revolutionaries in the second round of the WNIT after GWU defeated Bradley 63-60 to advance. Despite GWU's 16-17 record, USI head coach Rick Stein said his team can't take any opponent lightly in tournament play, noting GWU's strong defense and rebounding. USI junior guard Shannon Blacher also acknowledged GWU's athleticism and competitive conference schedule, saying the Screaming Eagles need to be well-prepared.

Why it matters

The WNIT is a prestigious postseason tournament, and this matchup between USI and GWU represents an opportunity for both teams to continue their seasons and potentially make a deep run. The game will showcase the talent and competitiveness of women's basketball at the mid-major level.

The details

GWU took down Bradley 63-60 to advance and set up the second-round matchup with USI. Despite GWU's sub-.500 record on the season, USI head coach Rick Stein said his team can't overlook the Revolutionaries, noting their strong defensive play and rebounding ability. USI junior guard Shannon Blacher also highlighted GWU's athleticism and the challenge of facing a team from a competitive conference.

  • The USI-GWU game is set for 6 p.m. on March 21, 2026.

The players

Rick Stein

Head coach of the USI Screaming Eagles basketball team.

Shannon Blacher

Junior guard for the USI Screaming Eagles basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“I think they are built on the defensive end and did a really good job against Bradley. They controlled the boards with a lot of second chance points. We are going to have to keep them off the glass too. They play hard and they play together. There is a reason they are in this tournament, obviously that's a really good basketball team.”

— Rick Stein, Head Coach

“They are very athletic and they play in a really competitive conference so I think their strength of schedule is really high. They have a lot of good games under their belt so I think we need to come in as prepared as we can, know our scout, and play our game.”

— Shannon Blacher, Junior Guard

What’s next

The winner of the USI-GWU matchup will advance to the third round of the WNIT.

The takeaway

This second-round WNIT game between USI and GWU showcases the depth and competitiveness of women's basketball at the mid-major level, as both teams look to continue their postseason runs despite their regular season records.