July 3, 2001

NEW YORK (AP) - Two-time NCAA champion Connecticut leads the 16-team field for the Women's Preseason NIT.

Five other NCAA tournament teams - Vanderbilt, Colorado, Fairfield, Stephen F. Austin and Oral Roberts - will be in the Nov. 9-19 event, which was announced Tuesday.

Also set are Women's NIT runner-up New Mexico, and WNIT teams Florida International, George Mason, Loyola Marymount, Oregon State and Temple. North Carolina, Evansville Eastern Kentucky and Pacific complete the field.

In first-round games Nov. 9, it's Fairfield at Connecticut, Stephen F. Austin at Florida International, Evansville at Temple, George Mason at North Carolina, Pacific at New Mexico, Oral Roberts at Colorado, Loyola Marymount at Oregon State and Eastern Kentucky at Vanderbilt.