The UNLV women's basketball team earned its first postseason berth in seven years with its selection to the 2001 Women's National Invitation Tournament field on Sunday.

The Lady Rebels (18-9) will play their first-round game against Loyola Marymount (21-9) on Thursday, March 15 at the Lions' Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles at 7:00 p.m. PT.

"Our goal at the beginning of the season was to play as long as possible in March," UNLV head coach Regina Miller said. "The opportunity to continue into the postseason and play in the WNIT is a wonderful feeling. The team and I are very excited. Teams prepare all season for the chance to play in March, and we are one of 96 teams in the country fortunate enough to have that chance."

The Lions finished third in the West Coast Conference this season with a 21-9 overall record and a 10-4 mark in the league. They advanced to the championship game of the WCC Tournament before falling to Saint Mary's, 58-53.

UNLV finished tied for third in the Mountain West Conference this season and posted an 18-9 overall record and 8-6 mark in the league. The Rebels were defeated 62-54 in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament by BYU, who also made the 32-team WNIT field.

The two teams met just two years ago during the 1998-99 season in Miller's UNLV coaching debut. The Rebels escaped with a 62-57 victory behind a 17-point, 13-rebound effort from then-freshman Linda Fr?hlich.

Should the Lady Rebels win their first-round matchup, they would face the winner of North Texas at Oklahoma State.