The BYU women’s basketball team is a No. 1 seed in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament and will host SWAC regular-season champion Alabama A&M on Thursday in the Marriott Center.

The Cougars (22-11) will have to overcome their disappointment after missing out on the NCAA Tournament, listed as the “First Team Out” by Charlie Creme on ESPN’s Bracketology.

“For us this is a great … I don’t want to say reward … but I think our team has earned the opportunity to play in meaningful games this time of year,” BYU head coach Lee Cummard said. “I hope the know that. There was disappointment for sure, but this is also an opportunity to do something pretty cool, to build our fan base, to build or team and build on the momentum of our season. We want to go out and how what kind of team we are.”

The Cougars went on a five-game winning streak, including two wins in the Big 12 Tournament, before dropping a 63-46 decision to top-seeded TCU in the league tournament in Kansas City.

For this tournament, the hunger and passion is still there,” Cummard said. “For us it’s been awhile since we’ve won a postseason game (2021), so that’s another data point we want to achieve. We won 20 games this year for the first time in a while (26 in 2022), we won our first games in the Big 12 Tournament, and we won more than six games for the first time in the Big 12.”

Alabama A&M (22-10) posted a 17-1 record to win the SWAC regular-season title but lost to Southern 51-49 in the league tournament semifinals. Senior guard Kalia Walker leads the Bulldogs with 14.3 points per game.

“There are some seriously good teams in this tournament,” Cummard said. “The team we play won 18 straight games this season. You kind of hope to play a team that isn’t used to winning, but this team is.”

Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT. As a No. 1 seed, the Cougars could host three games in the Marriott Center if they continue to win. With a win Thursday, a second round opponent would be the winner of No. 4 Missouri and Seton Hall on March 23.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT

First Round

No. 1 seed BYU (22-11) vs. Alabama A&M (22-10)

Thursday, 7 p.m. MT

Marriott Center, Provo

TV/Streaming: ESPN+

Radio: BYU Radio

Live stats: byucougars.com

The Word: Head coach Lee Cummard is tied with Courtney Leishman (1977-78) for the second-most wins by a first-year coach in program history with 22. Jeff Judkins won 24 in his first season (2002-03). … The Cougars are 17-26 all-time in post-season tournaments. … Three players on BYU’s roster have appears in the post-season, with Lara Rohkohl (2024, 2025 WBIT with College of Charleston), Hattie Ogden (2024 WNIT at Buffalo) and Heather Hamson (2024 WBIT at BYU).