Tagged: WKU Women's Basketball

Western Kentucky University will host East Carolina at E.A. Diddle Arena Thursday night in the first round of the 2013 Women's National Invitational Tournament. It's the 26th postseason bid for the Lady Toppers in the last 30 seasons.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. central time.

WKU is one of four Sun Belt Conference teams to reach the NCAA Tournament or WNIT this postseason. They faced six teams on nine occasions during the 2012-13 season that reached one of the two tournaments. The Lady Toppers are 29-27 in postseason play in the school's history, owning a winning record all-time in both the NCAA Tournament and in WNIT play.

East Carolina is 22-9 on the year and finished 11-5 in their Conference USA. The Pirates have four players averaging between 9.6 and 12 points per game this season.

WKU overcame a 13-point deficit as sophomore Alexis Govan scored a game-high 31 points to lead WKU to a 64-61 win over FAU on Wednesday night at the FAU Arena.

WKU (18-6, 11-4) overcame a deficit of eight points or more for the third time in conference play to win this season, trailing 17-4 in the opening minutes after going over five minutes without scoring. With its 18th win in 2012-13, WKU has doubled the number of wins it compiled a year ago.

Govan hit 14-of-25 from the field and grabbed six rebounds in 34 minutes as she reached the 30-point mark for the third time this season, all in Sun Belt Conference play. Govan scored a basket with 2:00 remaining to give WKU a 62-57 lead before FAU answered with 1:30 left on a basket by Breana Turner.

WKU women’s basketball coach Michelle Clark-Heard is making more noise on the recruiting trail. The first-year coach has signed her first commitment for the Class of 2013. Paul Laurence Dunbar High School junior Kierra Muhammad says she’ll play her college ball at WKU.