WB2K22: WNIT JAM

The opening round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament takes place March 16-18. Here is a look at some of our favorite match-ups.

Seton Hall will host Fairleigh Dickenson on March 17 in the first round of the WNIT, in South Orange, New Jersey. Seton Hall enters the game at 19-12. The Pirates top player is guard Lauren Park-Lane who averages 17.6 points, 7.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Forward Sidney Cooks is a 6-4 senior who averages 15.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game for Seton Hall.

Fairleigh Dickinson is 19-11, and its top player is forward Madison Stanley. She is a 6-1 senior who paces the team in scoring at 12.7 points, rebounds at 6.7 boards and blocks at 1.6 swats per contest. She also knocked down 40.3 percent of her three-point shot attempts. Aniya Bell is the team's biggest three-point threat. She hit 42.7 percent of her attempts from long distance while averaging 11.2 points per game. The 5-9 junior also pulls down an average of five rebounds every outing.

The winner of Seton Hall and Fairleigh Dickinson will face the team that wins between Stony Brook and Virginia Commonwealth, who plays on March 18.

On March 17, Norfolk State will travel to Philadelphia to face Drexel in the first round of the WNIT.

Drexel enters the game as a heavy favorite with a record of 26-5. Keishana Washington is the team's top scorer. The 5-7 senior guard is 23rd in the nation with a scoring average of 19.7 points per game. She also is shooting a career best 87.5 percent from the free-throw line. Her 5-3 point guard Hannah Nihill (NYE-HILL) is very effective averaging 13.7 points and five assists per game.

Norfolk State brings a 17-11 record into the contest. The Spartans have gone 13-4 since the new year began. Guard Deja Francis leads Norfolk State at 13.4 points and three assists per contest. Another guard Camille Downs is getting things done on defense for the Spartans leading the way with 3.4 steals per game. She also averages 12.8 points and 5.8 rebounds.

The winner of the game will face the team that is victorious between Bucknell and Fordham who will square off on March 18.

Wake Forest will host Akron on March 17, in the opening round of the WNIT, in Winston-Salem North Carolina. The Demon Deacons finished the season at 15-16. They started the season at 10-1 but struggled through a tough conference season in the always difficult ACC. Sophomore guard Jewel Spear is one of the top 50 scorers in the nation at 18.3 points per game. She is dangerous at home where she averages 20.1 points and shoots 40.6 percent from three. Forward Olivia Summiel is a 6-2 junior that averages a team best 6.9 rebounds along with 1.1 steals and 6.7 points.

Akron of the Mid-American Conference comes into action with a 17-11 record, looking to get a win over an ACC opponent. Jordyn Dawson is a talented forward that paces Akron in four major categories. She is the Zips top scorer and is 10th in the NCAA at 22.1 points per game. She is also the team's top rebounder at 9.1, assists getter at 4.1 and steals at 3.1. Akron forward Reagan Bass is an anchor on defense. The 6-1 forward blocks a team leading 1.1 shots per game while helping out on offense at 11.7 points on 56.8 percent shooting.

The winner of this contest will take on the winning team of the Wofford vs Middle Tennessee contest which takes place on the same night.