Western Kentucky women’s basketball coach Michelle Clark-Heard hoped a bid to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament would yield some beneficial experience.

Heard’s wish is the tournament’s command.

The Lady Toppers (22-10) will hit the road for their second-round showdown, meeting Southeastern Conference foe Auburn at 2 p.m. today in Alabama.

“It’s a big opportunity for this program,” Heard said. “To be able to play them on their home floor just puts us in a great position for the future. When we go on the road next year and play different people, this will be a good test for us.”

WKU learned it would be on the road moments after beating East Carolina 88-77 in overtime Thursday in the first round at E.A. Diddle Arena.

The Lady Toppers drew 744 fans for the game, which was below their average of 1,247 and fewer than Auburn’s crowd of 778 it had for its opening WNIT win over Alabama-Birmingham.

Auburn (17-14) played UAB on Wednesday, so while WKU knew its next opponent after knocking off East Carolina, it had to quickly do its research.

“It’s another opportunity for us,” sophomore guard Alexis Govan said Thursday night. “It’s up to us if we take advantage of it or not. I know the coaching staff’s probably already in the office studying film, and we’re going to come in and work hard, be coachable and do whatever we can and fight it out when we get there.”

It was Govan who lifted the Lady Tops out of a late seven-point hole against ECU. She scored the final seven points of regulation, including a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to send the game to OT, and finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

WKU outscored the Lady Pirates 15-4 in the extra period. Sophomore forward Chastity Gooch added 26 points and 12 rebounds, and junior guard Bianca McGee added 15 points and seven assists.

“Govan is an unbelievable player and definitely a tough matchup for us,” Auburn coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. “We’ll have to try to contain her as much as we can. Gooch, even at 6-feet tall, she’s an undersized post that gets it done inside.”

Williams-Flournoy is the first Auburn women’s coach to lead the Tigers to a NCAA tournament or WNIT bid in his or her first year at the helm.

Auburn has gone 13-3 at home this season and won its most home contests since the 2003-04 season. The Tigers last participated in the WNIT in 2011 and won it in 2003.

“I’m trying to implement the system – my philosophy of running and pressing,” Williams-Flournoy said. “We’re trying to get everyone to understand that we want to play fast, but still be smart enough to slow it down when we need to.”

Heard has worked to insert a similar style in her first season and led WKU to its first postseason victory since 2007.

To notch another tournament win, the Lady Tops will have to overcome the Tiger trio of Hasina Muhammad (14.1 points per game), Tyrese Tanner (13.5 ppg) and Blanche Alverson (12.7 ppg).

Tanner, a junior forward, scored a career-high 29 points against UAB. WKU, which left for Alabama on Friday, hasn’t beat Auburn in four previous meetings.

“(Tanner) is really athletic and can score, and they’ve got some post kids, too,” Heard said. “We’re going to have to get a good game plan together and get our kids excited. I know they are.”