Marquette Women's Basketball Faces Uncertain WBIT Bid

With a NET ranking of #69, the Golden Eagles may miss out on the 32-team WBIT field.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Marquette women's basketball has been eliminated from the Big East tournament, meaning they will not receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. This raises the question of whether the Golden Eagles will earn a spot in the 32-team Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT). With a NET ranking of #69, Marquette's chances of securing one of the automatic WBIT bids are unclear as the field continues to take shape.

Why it matters

The WBIT provides a postseason opportunity for teams that fall short of the NCAA tournament, but with a limited number of spots available, Marquette's NET ranking puts their inclusion in jeopardy. This highlights the challenges mid-major programs face in earning postseason berths, even in secondary tournaments.

The details

The WBIT automatically qualifies the first four teams that miss the NCAA tournament, as well as the regular season champions of conferences that did not receive an NCAA bid. The remaining at-large field is determined by an eight-member selection committee. With several regular season champions already locked into the WBIT, and Marquette's NET ranking outside the top 40, the Golden Eagles may struggle to secure one of the remaining at-large spots.

  • Marquette was eliminated from the Big East tournament on Saturday, March 9, 2026.
  • The WBIT field will be announced on Selection Sunday, March 16, 2026.

The players

Cara Consuegra

The head coach of the Marquette women's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“It feels like the Golden Eagles have been sliding down the rankings, but you have to get to 32 teams somehow.”

— Andrew Fleck, Author (yahoo.com)

What’s next

The WBIT Selection Committee will announce the 32-team field on Selection Sunday, March 16, 2026. Marquette will anxiously await their decision, hoping their NET ranking of #69 is high enough to earn one of the remaining at-large bids.

The takeaway

Marquette's women's basketball team faces an uphill battle to secure a spot in the 32-team WBIT, highlighting the challenges mid-major programs face in earning postseason berths. The Golden Eagles' NET ranking of #69 puts their inclusion in jeopardy, underscoring the importance of strong regular season performance for teams outside the power conferences.