1998 Women's National Invitation Tournament
{{Infobox NCAA basketball tournament
| Type = WNIT
| Gender = Women's
| Year = 1998
| Image =
| Image Size =
| Caption =
| Teams = 16
| FinalFourArena = Ferrell Center
| FinalFourCity = Waco, TX
| Champions = Penn State
| TitleCount = 1st
| RunnerUp = Baylor
| GameCount = 1st
| Semifinal1 = LSU
| SemifinalCount = 3rd
| Semifinal2 = Indiana
| SemifinalCount2 = 2nd
| Coach = Rene Portland
| CoachCount = 1st
| MOP = Helen Darling
| MOPTeam = Penn State
| Attendance = 10,057 (championship)
| TopScorer =
| TopScorerTeam =
| TopScorer2 =
| TopScorerTeam2 =
| Points =
}}
The 1998 Women's National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 16 NCAA Division I teams that were not selected to participate in the 1998 Women's NCAA tournament. It was the first edition of the postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
The final four of the tournament paired Penn State against Indiana and Baylor against LSU. It was Penn State and Indiana third game of the year, Penn State won the rubber match 70–42 while Baylor beat LSU 66–61.
Bracket
Visiting teams in first round are listed first. Games marked signify overtime. Source{{cite web |title= 1998 Women's National Invitational Tournament Bracket|url=https://womensnit.com/documents/2019/3/4//1998_post_bracket.pdf?id=38 |access-date=February 28, 2023 |language=en}}
=Regional bracket=
{{8TeamBracket|seeds=n
|nowrap=y
| RD1=First Round
March 13
| RD2=Second Round
March 15
| RD3=Quarterfinals
March 20
| RD1-game1 =
| RD1-team1 = Villanova
| RD1-score1= 61
| RD1-team2 = Penn State
| RD1-score2= 68
| RD1-game2 =
| RD1-team3 = American
| RD1-score3= 68
| RD1-team4 = Saint Joseph's
| RD1-score4= 77
| RD1-game3 =
| RD1-team5 = Cincinnati
| RD1-score5= 62
| RD1-team6 = Toledo
| RD1-score6=76
| RD1-game4 =
| RD1-team7 = Xavier
| RD1-score7= 74
| RD1-team8 = Indiana
| RD1-score8=80
| RD2-game1 =
| RD2-team1 =at Penn State
| RD2-score1=72
| RD2-team2 =Saint Joseph's
| RD2-score2=59
| RD2-game2 =
| RD2-team3 =at Toledo
| RD2-score3=60
| RD2-team4 =Indiana
| RD2-score4=61
| RD3-game1 =
| RD3-team1 =at Penn State
| RD3-score1=70
| RD3-team2 =Indiana
| RD3-score2=42
}}
=Regional bracket=
{{8TeamBracket|seeds=n
|nowrap=y
| RD1=First Round
March 13 & 15
| RD2=Second Round
March 15 & 17
| RD3=Quarterfinals
March 20
| RD1-game1 =
| RD1-team1 = Boise State
| RD1-score1= 38
| RD1-team2 = LSU
| RD1-score2=58
| RD1-game2 =
| RD1-team3 = Butler
| RD1-score3=95
| RD1-team4 = Bowling Green
| RD1-score4=90
| RD1-game3 =
| RD1-team5 = Oklahoma State
| RD1-score5=75
| RD1-team6 = Rice
| RD1-score6=52
| RD1-game4 =
| RD1-team7 = Mississippi State
| RD1-score7=65
| RD1-team8 = Baylor
| RD1-score8=75
| RD2-game1 =
| RD2-team1 =at LSU
| RD2-score1=74
| RD2-team2 =Butler
| RD2-score2=58
| RD2-game2 =
| RD2-team3 =Oklahoma State
| RD2-score3=47
| RD2-team4 =at Baylor
| RD2-score4=54
| RD3-game1 =
| RD3-team1 =LSU
| RD3-score1=61
| RD3-team2 =at Baylor
| RD3-score2= 66
}}
=Championship=
{{2TeamBracket
| RD1=Championship
March 24
| score-width=25
| team-width=140
| RD1-seed1=
| RD1-team1=Penn State
| RD1-score1=59
| RD1-seed2=
| RD1-team2=at Baylor
| RD1-score2=56
}}
=WNIT All-Tournament Team=
- Helen Darling - Penn State (MVP){{cite news |url=https://womensnit.com/news/2019/2/15/postseason-wnit-wnit-announces-20th-anniversary-all-time-top-20-player-list.aspx |title=WNIT Announces 20th Anniversary All-Time Top 20 Player List |website=womensnit.com |date=March 28, 2017 |accessdate=March 3, 2023}}
- LaToya Ellis - Baylor{{cite news |url=https://baylorbears.com/documents/2022/10/11/WBB_Media_Almanac__2022-23_.pdf |title=2022-23 Baylor Bears women's basketball almanac |website=baylorbears.com |accessdate=March 3, 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Women's National Invitation Tournament}}
{{NCAA women's college basketball tournament navbox}}