The NCAA basketball season ends with tournament play, but for Saluki women’s basketball, the season starts the same way. 

SIU will compete in the preseason Women’s National Invitational Tournament for the first time in 18 years when they play No. 22 DePaul at 7 p.m. Friday at McGrath-Phillips Arena in Chicago. 

This is SIU’s first trip to the preseason WNIT since 1997 when they lost in the first round at Northwestern. 

“I think we’re all looking forward to playing a nationally ranked opponent, and on their home floor,” SIU coach Cindy Stein said. “It doesn’t get better than that. DePaul’s got a great program, so we’re looking forward to the challenge.” 

The Blue Demons are the defending Big East Tounament Champions. They made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament in March and finished the season 27-8. 

DePaul returns three starters, including senior guard/forward Megan Podowka who averaged 14.2 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds last season.

Coach Doug Bruno led the team to its 20th NCAA tournament berth in his 30th season as the Blue Demons’ head coach. He was an assistant coach for the gold medal USA women’s national team at the 2012 Olympics. 

Saluki sophomore guard/forward Kylie Giebelhausen said facing DePaul is comparable to last season’s 71-55 loss to No. 14 Oregon State in the New Orleans Shootout. 

“We didn’t know what to expect,” she  said. “So we just played hard. Not really having a background with them means you can’t really psych yourself out for the game.”

No. 5 Baylor is the only other ranked team in the WNIT.

SIU returns all five of its starters from last season but the front court may have a different look. Senior forward/center Dyana Pierre is suspended indefinitely after violating team rules. Pierre is facing misdemeanor charges for criminal damage to property less than $300 and resisting a peace officer according to judicial records. Senior forward Azia Washington is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

Neither played in the Salukis’ two exhibition wins. Stein said Washington could be ready to play Friday while Pierre’s status in uncertain. 

Win or lose, the Salukis will play either Siena or St. Bonaventure in the second round. A first-round win would mean SIU plays Nov. 15, 16 or 17. A loss leaves the Salukis idle until Nov. 20.

Siena reached the championship game of the Women’s Basketball Invitational last season and finished 22-13 overall. 

Siena’s second and third-leading scorers from last year, sophomore forward Margot Hetzke and junior forward Meghan Donohue, return for 2015-16 at 12.3 and 10.7 points, respectively. Hetzke led the Saints with 258 rebounds.

St. Bonaventure finished 15-15 last year and were 12th in the 14-team Atlantic 10 Conference.

Senior forward Katie Healy is one of four returning starters for St. Bonaventure. Healy averaged 14.1 points and 6.5 rebounds while starting all 30 games last season.

SIU lost in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, 59-50 to Northern Iowa.

Sophomore forward Celina VanHyfte said she does not expect nerves to be a factor in this tournament.

“I don’t get nervous,” VanHyfte said. “I just have faith in my teammates and coaches.”

Thomas Donley can be reached at [email protected] or at 618-536-3307