By Robert Haugh

Santa Clara’s women’s basketball season is still alive.

The Broncos were left out of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. But they are not done yet.

Santa Clara will play Cal on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament. The Bears will host the game.

The Broncos enter the WBIT after a strong first season under coach Loree Payne. Santa Clara went 24-9, setting a school record for wins by a first-year head coach.

Cal also missed the NCAA field. The Bears finished 19-14 and earned a No. 3 seed in the 32-team WBIT. Santa Clara was not seeded.

Stanford is also headed to the tournament. The Cardinal, 19-13, received a No. 2 seed and will host Loyola Marymount on Thursday at 7 p.m.

That means all three Bay Area programs that were passed over by the NCAA selection committee will keep playing this week.

For Santa Clara, the trip to Berkeley is a chance to extend a season that already produced a major step forward for the program.