Oklahoma holds off Arizona State;will face North Carolina in championship game

November 21, 2008 – No. 2 Oklahoma set a date with No. 4 North Carolina by defeating Arizona State 70-57 on Friday night in the semifinals of the Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

Oklahoma never trailed as Courtney Paris notched 19 points and 20 rebounds and sister Ashley Paris added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Sooners, ranked second in the country in the Associated Press poll.

Arizona State, ranked 18th, was led by Dymond Simon’s 14 points.

The semifinal outcome sets up a 2 vs. 4 matchup in the final, which will be played at 3 p.m. ET Sunday in Norman, Okla. North Carolina advanced to the game with a win earlier over No. 23 Xavier.

Several games were played Friday night in the Preseason WNIT consolation bracket. In a Consolation Round 3 game, VCU finished strong to defeat visiting Tulane 65-49 in their final game of the tournament.

At the Ball State quadrant, Cleveland State defeated Illinois State 64-50 to advance to the winner’s bracket. Cleveland State will play Ball State at 8 p.m. ET Saturday night. Ball State held on to down Robert Morris 85-81 Friday.

Illinois State will play Robert Morris at 5:30 p.m. ET Saturday night.

In the Western Carolina quadrant, Liberty rode a last-second shot to a 45-44 victory over UC Riverside to advance to the winner’s bracket with Western Carolina. Western Carolina defeated Lafayette 68-51, and will play Liberty at 7 p.m. ET Saturday.

Lafayette will battle UC Riverside at 9:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Western Carolina.

Championship bracket
Semifinal Games
Friday, Nov. 21
Oklahoma 70, Arizona State 57
Championship Game
Sunday, Nov. 23
North Carolina at Oklahoma, 3 p.m. ET 

Consolation bracket
Consolation Rounds 1-2
Host Site A
At Ball State
Friday, Nov. 21
Cleveland State 64, Illinois State 50
Ball State 85, Robert Morris 81
Saturday, Nov. 22
Robert Morris vs. Illinois State (home) at Ball State, 5:30 p.m. ET
Cleveland State at Ball State, 8 p.m. ET
Host Site B
At Western Carolina
**NOTE the times are different each day**
Friday, Nov. 21
Liberty 45, UC Riverside 44
Western Carolina 68, Lafayette 51
Saturday, Nov. 22
Liberty vs. Western Carolina (home), 7 p.m. ET
UC Riverside vs. Lafayette (home) at Western Carolina, 9:30 p.m. ET
Consolation Round 3
Host Site C
Friday, Nov. 21
VCU 65, Tulane 49
Host Site D
Indiana at Middle Tennessee, 8 p.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 22