*** 73rd National Invitation Men's Basketball Tournament ***

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*** 73rd National Invitation Men's Basketball Tournament ***
(Records and Seeds in Parenthesis)

Wednesday, March 17th
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(8) Quinnipiac (23-9) at (1) Virginia Tech (23-8), 7 p.m.

(5) Tulsa (23-11) at (4) Kent State (23-9), 7 p.m.

(7) Northwestern (20-13) at (2) Rhode Island (23-9), 7 p.m.

(6) Illinois State (22-10) at (3) Dayton (20-12), 7 p.m.

(7) Weber State (20-10) at (2) Cincinnati (18-15), 7 p.m.

(7) Troy (20-12) at (2) Ole Miss (21-10), 8 p.m.

(6) Nevada (20-12) at (3) Wichita State (25-9), 8:05 p.m.

(1) Illinois (19-14) at (8) Stony Brook (22-9), 9 p.m.

(6) St. John's (17-15) at (3) Memphis (23-9), 9 p.m.


Second Round - Thursday, March 18th through Monday, March 22nd
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(4) Connecticut (18-15) vs. Quinnipiac/Virginia Tech winner

Nevada/Wichita State winner vs. Northwestern/Rhode Island winner

(4) North Carolina (17-16) vs. (1) Mississippi State (24-11)

(6) North Carolina State(20-15) vs. (2) U-A-B (24-8)

St. John's/Memphis winner vs. Troy/Ole Miss winner

(8) Jacksonville (20-12) VS. (5) Texas Tech (18-15)

Illinois State/Dayton winner vs. Weber State/Cincinnati winner

Tulsa/Kent State winner vs. Stony Brook/Illinois winner

Quarterfinal Round - Tuesday, March 23rd/Wednesday, March 24th
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Semifinal Round - Tuesday, March 30th
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(Madison Square Garden, New York, New York)

Game One, 7 p.m.

Game Two, 9 p.m.


Championship Game - Thursday, April 1st
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(Madison Square Garden, New York, New York)

Final, 7 p.m.

 

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Green Bay (21-12) at Akron (24-10)

Green Bay (21-12) at Akron (24-10)

Green Bay (21-12) at Akron (24-10)


DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: James A. Rhodes Arena (5,942) -- Akron, Ohio. Television: None. CBI Tournament Record: Green Bay 0-1, Akron 0-0. Series Record: Green Bay leads, 4-3.

GAME NOTES: The Green Bay Phoenix make their second straight appearance in the CBI tonight, as they tangle with the Akron Zips in first-round action at Rhodes Arena. The squad that comes out on top will move on to the quarterfinals against Saint Louis on Monday.

The Phoenix are 21-12 overall this season, and the Horizon League team posted a monumental upset of nationally-ranked Wisconsin early in the campaign. Green Bay is making its eighth postseason appearance all-time and second in a row. Last season, the Phoenix hosted Vermont in the CBI, only to fall 76-72 in the first round.

As for the Zips, they are making their first appearance in the CBI after being upset by Ohio University in the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game. Akron, which has won at least 23 games in each of the past five seasons, is making its third straight postseason appearance for the first time since moving to the Division I ranks.

Green Bay holds a slim 4-3 edge over Akron in the all-time series, but this is the first meeting between the two since 1992.

Rahmon Fletcher is Green Bay's leading scorer this season and he is effective at both ends of the court. A 38.0 percent three-point shooter, Fletcher is netting 16.1 ppg and he also heads the club in steals with 54. Bryquis Perine comes in with 13.8 ppg for the squad and he is in charge of running the show, dishing out a team-best 4.1 apg. Troy Cotton chips in with 11.8 ppg and he is the squad's top three-point option, shooting 40.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Akron is a balanced squad that is averaging 70.8 ppg, while holding opponents to 65.4 ppg. The Zips have just two players averaging double figures in the scoring column, with four others netting between 9.5 and 7.1 ppg. Jimmy Conyers and Brett McKnight are tied for the team-lead in scoring at 10.1 ppg, with Conyers also grabbing a team-best 6.7 rpg and McKnight collecting 4.4 rpg. Chris McKnight chips in with 9.5 ppg and he stepped it up in conference play, tallying 10.4 ppg.

The Zips are a little more balanced and should be able to outlast Green Bay on their home floor tonight.

Predicted Outcome: Akron 68, Green Bay 62

 

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Harvard (21-7) at Appalachian State (22-12)

Harvard (21-7) at Appalachian State (22-12)

Harvard (21-7) at Appalachian State (22-12)


DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Holmes Center (8,325) -- Boone, North Carolina. Television: None. CIT Record: Harvard 0-0, ASU 0-0. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: First round action of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament will take place this evening at the Holmes Center when the Appalachian State Mountaineers host the Harvard Crimson.

It was a solid year for the Crimson, who finished with 21 victories on the season. Harvard was 10-5 on the road this year, and also finished 10-4 in conference play.

As for the Mountaineers, they made a solid run in the Southern Conference Tournament, but the team eventually fell to Wofford, 56-51, in the championship game. Despite the loss, the Mountaineers still finished with a 22-12 mark on the season, and 13 of those wins came at home.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the hardwood.

The Crimson have used a tenacious approach at the defensive end of the floor this season, and come into this tournament holding teams to just 65.5 ppg. At the other end of the court the team has also enjoyed success, as Harvard is producing 74.1 ppg, behind a stellar 48.1 percent shooting effort. Jeremy Lin has clearly been the best player on the floor for Harvard, as the guard is averaging 16.6 ppg. Lin however, is also leading the team with 126 assists and comes into this game with 70 turnovers and 4.3 rpg. Kyle Casey is the only other player netting double figures for Harvard, as the forward is posting 10.3 ppg, to go along with 5.2 rpg.

The Mountaineers have been solid throughout most of the season offensively, and head into this tournament averaging a respectable 74.6 ppg, behind a healthy 47.8 percent shooting effort. Donald Sims has been outstanding for ASU, and is posting 20.0 ppg. The guard is shooting 46.1 percent from the field, and has been even stronger from long range, netting 42.0 percent of his three-point attempts. Kellen Brand is the only other player averaging double figures, as the guard is contributing 11.5 ppg. Handling the play in the paint has been Isaac Butts, who is chipping in just 8.7 ppg, but is also leading the squad with 8.1 rpg.

Harvard has played well on the road this season, but the Mountaineers have a tough duo in the backcourt, and should be able to grab a victory at home.

Predicted Outcome: Appalachian State 77, Harvard 70

 

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Weber State (20-10) at Cincinnati (18-15)

Weber State (20-10) at Cincinnati (18-15)

Weber State (20-10) at Cincinnati (18-15)


DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Fifth Third Arena (13,176) -- Cincinnati, Ohio. Television: ESPN2. NIT Record: Weber State 1-2, Cincinnati 7-9. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: The first round of the 2010 National Invitation Tournament pits the second-seeded Cincinnati Bearcats against the seventh-seeded Weber State Wildcats.

A matchup with either third-seeded Dayton or sixth-seeded Illinois State awaits the winner of this contest.

Weber State is making its second straight NIT appearance and just the third overall for the program, which is 1-2 all-time in this event. The Wildcats, who are 20-10 overall, won the outright Big Sky Conference regular-season title for the third time in the last four years, but they fell short in the league tournament.

As for Cincinnati, it has appeared in nine previous NITs, winning seven of 16 games. The most recent appearance came in 2006 for the Bearcats, who are 18-15 overall this season. Unfortunately, a 7-11 record in Big East Conference games wasn't impressive. The club did win a pair of games in the league tournament to reach the quarterfinals, but a loss to national powerhouse West Virginia on a miraculous, last-second shot crushed UC's NCAA Tournament hopes.

This game marks the first-ever meeting between Weber State and Cincinnati on the hardwood.

At 6-2 and 185 pounds, Weber State sophomore guard Damian Lillard isn't physically imposing by any means. Still, that didn't stop the standout from being named the MVP of the Big Sky Conference by a unanimous vote of the league's coaches. The conference's leading scorer, Lillard brings a scoring average of 19.7 ppg into the NIT, and he has dished out 112 assists as well. Steve Panos, the team's center, provides 10.8 ppg and is a Second-Team All-Big Sky Conference performer. As for Franklin Session, he rounds out a trio of double-digit scorers with 10.6 ppg. Weber State is a very good offensive team that scores 76.6 ppg, and it is allowing 70.9 ppg to opponents. The Wildcats are solid on the boards and take good care of the ball as well.

Lance Stephenson, the Big East Conference Freshman of the Year, leads Cincinnati into this first-round game. One of the nation's most high-profile recruits, Stephenson is scoring 12.3 ppg to go along with 5.4 rpg and 78 assists. Deonta Vaughn, a standout senior guard (11.1 ppg, 112 assists), combines with Stephenson to give the Bearcats a formidable backcourt duo. Yancy Gates is posting 10.7 ppg and 6.0 rpg for Cincinnati, which is netting 68.7 ppg while allowing 66.2 ppg. The fact that the Bearcats are ripping down nearly seven more rebounds per game than the opposition is obviously impressive. On a down note, the team shoots a mere 29.1 percent from three- point range.

It seems logical to side with the home team in this game, as Cincinnati will play well at both ends of the floor. Still, Weber State is no push over and will certainly make things interesting.

Predicted Outcome: Cincinnati 76, Weber State 69

 

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Illinois State (22-10) at Dayton (20-12)

Illinois State (22-10) at Dayton (20-12)

Illinois State (22-10) at Dayton (20-12)

DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: University of Dayton Arena (13,266) -- Dayton, Ohio. Television: None. NIT Record: Illinois State 8-10, Dayton 35-20. Series Record: Dayton leads, 3-1.

GAME NOTES: The third-seeded Dayton Flyers are set to host the sixth-seeded Illinois State Redbirds in the first round of the 2010 National Invitation Tournament.

The winner of this game will advance to the second round to do battle with either second-seeded Cincinnati or seventh-seeded Weber State.

Illinois State is making its 11th appearance in the NIT and has posted an 8-10 combined record in its previous 10 showings. This marks the third consecutive season that the team has been invited to participate in the tournament, and it has never reached the semifinals. The Redbirds are 22-10 overall this season and finished third in the Missouri Valley Conference with an 11-7 mark.

Dayton has a storied NIT history, as it has made 21 previous appearances and owns a stellar 35-20 record. The Flyers have won the event twice and have five second-place finishes to their credit, but all of that success occurred more than four decades ago. Dayton was the preseason favorite to win the Atlantic 10 Conference, but the team failed to reach that goal, and the 20-12 record simply wasn't good enough to earn a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The Flyers have won three of the four all-time meetings with the Redbirds, including a 55-48 victory over Illinois State in the second round of the 2008 NIT.

There is certainly considerable talent on the Illinois State roster. One player to watch is Osiris Eldridge, who was recently named a First-Team All- MVC performer for the third consecutive season. Eldridge led his league in scoring with 15.7 ppg, and he is an all-conference defender as well. Dinma Odiakosa provides 12.9 ppg on 60.9 percent shooting from the field, and he is ripping down 8.8 rpg. Lloyd Phillips rounds out a threesome of double-digit scorers with 10.3 ppg despite his 37.2 percent field goal efficiency, and Phillips has also racked up team highs of 130 assists and 59 steals. The Redbirds are netting 70.0 ppg while allowing 64.1 ppg to opponents. ISU is a strong rebounding team that averages 4.7 rpg more than the opposition.

There are only two players on the Dayton team that average double figures in the scoring column, and Chris Wright is the to-go guy at the offensive end. Wright is netting 14.2 ppg on 51.8 percent shooting, and he is ripping down 7.1 rpg to go along with 46 blocks. Chris Johnson checks in with 11.4 ppg, and he is pulling down 6.7 rpg. The Flyers are averaging 69.7 ppg through 32 contests, but they clearly excel at the defensive end of the court, limiting foes to 62.3 ppg on 39.7 percent field goal efficiency. Wright was named a First-Team All-Atlantic 10 performer and figures to draw plenty of attention from Illinois State defenders in this clash.

Dayton gets the edge in this battle, as the home crowd will give the Flyers a boost. Still, expect the Redbirds to put up a fight.

Predicted Outcome: Dayton 70, Illinois State 62

 

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College of Charleston (21-11) at Eastern Kentucky (20-12)

College of Charleston (21-11) at Eastern Kentucky (20-12)

College of Charleston (21-11) at Eastern Kentucky (20-12)


DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Paul S. McBrayer Arena (6,500) -- Richmond, Kentucky. Television: None. CBI Record: College of Charleston 1-1, Eastern Kentucky 0-0. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: First-round action of the third-annual College Basketball Invitational tips off this evening, as the Eastern Kentucky Colonels welcome the College of Charleston Cougars to McBrayer Arena in Richmond.

Charleston had a rough time against teams outside of the Southern Conference this season, splitting 14 decisions. Against league foes, the Cougars posted an impressive 14-4 record, taking eight of the nine home bouts versus conference opponents. However, while CofC was able to take care of Chattanooga in its first game of the SoCon Tournament by a score of 96-69, the tables were turned on the Cougars nine days ago when Appalachian State easily handled them in a 77-54 setback. The 54 points for head coach Bobby Cremins and his crew were the fewest all year.

Charleston took part in this tournament last year, taking out Troy in the first round, 93-91, and then falling to Richmond in the quarterfinals by a score of 74-72.

As for the Colonels, they have lost back-to-back games only four times in 2009-10, but it has happened twice in the last six outings for the program. The team not only closed out the regular season with an 88-74 loss to Murray State, it also kicked off Ohio Valley Conference Tournament action with a 68-61 defeat at the hands of Eastern Illinois. As a result, Charleston enters tonight's meeting with an overall record of 20-12.

With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, this is the first-ever meeting, and the winner will be back in action in six days taking on the survivor of the VCU/George Washington contest in the quarterfinals.

Andrew Goudelock earned all-league honors in the Southern Conference for the second straight year for the Cougars as he led the program in scoring (19.4 ppg) and assists (122) over the course of his 32 starts. Goudelock was also an important factor on the glass with his 4.3 rpg as well. Donavan Monroe accounted for 12.4 ppg, Tony White and Jeremy Simmons 11.8 ppg each as well. Simmons, a starter in all 27 games in which he appeared, shot an impressive 58.7 percent from the floor this year and had more defensive rebounds (142) than all but one of his teammates had total boards. Add in his 54 blocked shots and it was easy to see why Simmons was named the SoCon's Co-Defensive Player of the Year. If not for Simmons and his 7.9 rpg, the Cougars would be even worse off than they are already on the glass, the squad trailing the opposition by nine rebounds per game on average.

Josh Taylor, the lone all-conference performer for the Colonels, became the 29th player in school history to reach 1,000 points for his career just over a month ago. The senior forward also owns the program record for the most games played as he and Eastern Kentucky enter the next stage of the postseason. Taylor was actually second on his own team in scoring with his 13.2 ppg, trailing Justin Stommes who registered 14.3 ppg on the strength of his 52.4 percent shooting from the field and 41.8 percent behind the three-point line. Stommes was also first with 114 assists for the Colonels, trying to get his teammates involved in the action as much as he possibly could. Papa Oppong was also a solid perimeter shooter at 44.3 percent, leading to his 11.0 ppg. As a group, the Colonels shoot almost 40 percent beyond the arc and average just under 10 three-pointers per game, second best in the entire nation.

The Colonels live and die out on the perimeter, allowing opponents to also shoot nearly 40 percent from three-point range. Both of these teams have trouble rebounding the ball, but with so many three-point tries going up the bounces will be a bit longer and come down to EKU more times than not.

Predicted Outcome: Eastern Kentucky 72, Charleston 68

 

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IUPUI (24-10) at Hofstra (19-14)




DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Mack Sports Complex (5,124) -- Hempstead, New York. Television: None. CBI Record: IUPUI 0-0, Hofstra 0-0. Series Record: First- ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: The Hofstra Pride will host the IUPUI Jaguars at the Mack Sports Complex in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational.

The Jaguars saw their chances of playing in the NCAA Tournament come crashing down with a 76-64 setback to Oakland in the Summit League Tournament. Despite the loss, IUPUI finished with an impressive 24 victories, to go along with their equally strong 15-3 mark in Summit League action.

As for the Pride, the last time they were on the floor the team suffered a heartbreaking, 74-71 double-overtime loss to Northeastern in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. The loss snapped a seven-game win streak for Hofstra, which finished 19-14 on the year.

This will be the first-ever matchup between the two schools on the hardwood.

The Jaguars were sensational at the offensive end of the floor this season, and head into this tournament averaging a strong 74.7 ppg. IUPI is shooting an outstanding 51.1 percent from the floor, and has connected on 39.2 percent of its attempts from long range. Robert Glenn has been the best option on the court for IUPUI, as the forward is netting 19.5 ppg, while also pulling down 6.4 rpg. However, Glenn has committed a team-high 101 turnovers, and has dished out just 58 assists. Alex Young, who is shooting 39.2 percent from behind the arc, is contributing 18.4 ppg, while Leroy Nobles is posting 13.4 ppg.

The Pride have not been overwhelming at either end of the floor, and come into this matchup hoping their play defensively will lead the team to victory. Hofstra is currently holding opponents to just 67.2 ppg on a 39.6 percent shooting effort. However, at the other end of the floor the team has relied on just Charles Jenkins, who is the only player averaging double figures. Jenkins is posting 20.6 ppg, but has also dished out 127 assists and has collected 60 steals. Chaz Williams is only netting 9.8 ppg, but has distributed 136 assists for Hofstra, which as a whole is producing just 70.4 ppg.

The Pride might be home in this matchup, but the Jaguars have far too many weapons at the offensive end of the floor, and should steal a victory away from Hofstra.

Predicted Outcome: IUPUI 73, Hofstra 69

 

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Tulsa (23-11) at Kent State (23-9)

Tulsa (23-11) at Kent State (23-9)

Tulsa (23-11) at Kent State (23-9)


DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center (6,327) -- Kent, Ohio. Television: None. NIT Record: Tulsa 11-7, Kent State 2-7. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: A pair of 23-win teams are set to battle in the first round of the 2010 National Invitation Tournament, as the fourth-seeded Kent State Golden Flashes host the fifth-seeded Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

The winner of this game will take on either top-seeded Illinois or eighth- seeded Stony Brook in the second round.

Tulsa is making its 10th appearance in the NIT, and the team won the title in both 1981 and 2001. This marks the second straight season that the Golden Hurricane are appearing in this event, and they also won the inaugural College Basketball Invitational (CBI) title in 2008. Tulsa is 23-11 overall, marking the program's fourth consecutive 20-win season, and the squad won two games in the Conference USA Tournament.

Kent State hasn't enjoyed much success in the NIT, as only two of its nine games in this event have resulted in victory. This season's appearance is the eighth in program history, and the Golden Flashes carry a 23-9 overall record into tonight's game. They won the Mid-American Conference regular-season crown, the fourth title in school history, but were shocked by Ohio University in the quarterfinals of the league tournament.

This game marks the first-ever meeting between Tulsa and Kent State on the hardwood.

Tulsa has a pair of seniors that will lead the team into action tonight. Ben Uzoh is the only player in program history ranked in the top-10 in career points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocked shots. He has played 140 games, one shy of the school record. Uzoh is netting 15.2 ppg while dishing out 4.6 apg and will be the focal point of the Kent State defensive effort this evening. Jerome Jordan is also scoring 15.2 ppg to go along with 9.0 rpg and 2.4 blocks per contest, and he owns the school's all-time record with 332 rejections. Rounding out a tremendous trio is junior Justin Hurtt, who brings 14.0 ppg to the mix. Tulsa is generating 71.4 ppg this season while surrendering 64.9 ppg to opponents.

Justin Greene is the leading scorer for Kent State with 13.7 ppg on 53.8 percent shooting from the floor, and he is tops on the boards as well with 6.8 rpg. Chris Singletary checks in with 12.0 ppg, and he leads the team with 115 assists and 52 steals. Rodriquez Sherman provides 10.7 ppg to round out a trio of double-digit scorers for the Golden Flashes, who are posting 70.3 ppg while limiting opponents to 64.5 ppg. Singletary was a First-Team All-MAC selection this season, while Greene earned second-team honors. Greene is one of the nation's most improved players, as he has far exceeded expectations this season after making little impact as a freshman in 2008-09.

A close game is likely tonight, as Tulsa and Kent State appear to be evenly matched. The Golden Flashes are 13-2 at home thus far, so give them a slight edge.

Predicted Outcome: Kent State 72, Tulsa 65

 

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Duquesne (16-15) at Princeton (20-8)

Duquesne (16-15) at Princeton (20-8)

Duquesne (16-15) at Princeton (20-8)


DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Jadwin Gym (6,854) -- Princeton, New Jersey. Television: HDNet. Home Record: CBI Record: Duquesne 0-0, Princeton 0-0. Series Record: Series is tied, 1-1.

GAME NOTES: The Duquesne Dukes and the Princeton Tigers will collide this evening at Jadwin Gym in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational.

The Dukes never really got things going this season, especially in Atlantic 10 action where the team finished 7-9. Duquesne lost to St. Bonaventure in its first matchup in the A-10 Tournament, and opens this event with a 16-15 overall mark.

As for the Tigers, they were solid this season, earning 20 victories, while finishing Ivy League action with an 11-3 mark. Princeton has won its last four matchups, and finished its regular season with a solid 10-3 ledger at home.

This will be the third meeting between the two schools on the hardwood, but the first since 1973. Duquesne won the first meeting against Princeton back in 1952 by a 60-49 margin, while the Tigers claimed a 72-62 decision over Dukes back in 1973.

Five different players are producing double figures for Duquesne, but that has translated into just 71.0 ppg. The Dukes are shooting a mediocre 42.8 percent from the floor, but the team has struggled from behind the arc, netting just 26.3 percent of its three-point attempts. Damian Saunders is clearly the best player on the floor for the Dukes, as the big man is averaging a double-double of 15.0 ppg and 11.3 rpg, while also pacing the squad with 94 blocks. Bill Clark is contributing 14.1 ppg and 6.0 rpg, while Melquan Bolding is netting 12.1 ppg. B.J. Monteiro is helping out with 11.1 ppg, while Eric Evans is chipping in 10.2 ppg, to go along with a team-best 119 assists.

The Tigers have relied heavily on their play defensively, as the team is limiting opponents to just 52.3 ppg. Princeton is holding foes to only 39.6 percent shooting from the floor and has also limited the opposition to just 33.0 percent from behind the arc. Unfortunately at the other end of the floor the team has struggled, netting just 59.8 ppg, behind a 43.8 percent shooting effort. Douglas Davis has been solid on the year, averaging 12.8 ppg, while shooting an impressive 42.6 from behind the arc. Dan Mavraides is the only other player netting double figures for Princeton and comes into this matchup with 11.8 ppg.

The Tigers are solid defensively, but the Dukes have far too many options offensively, and should be able to get past Princeton on the road.

Predicted Outcome: Duquesne 68, Princeton 60

 

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Northwestern (20-13) at Rhode Island (23-9)

Northwestern (20-13) at Rhode Island (23-9)

Northwestern (20-13) at Rhode Island (23-9)


DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Thomas F. Ryan Center (7,657) -- Kingston, Rhode Island. Television: ESPNU. NIT Record: Northwestern 2-4, Rhode Island 10-14. Series Record: Rhode Island leads, 1-0.

GAME NOTES: The Rhode Island Rams make their 14th appearance in the NIT tonight, as they tip off first-round action against the Northwestern Wildcats at the Ryan Center.

URI, which placed as high as second in this event back in 1946, is playing in the NIT for the third consecutive year. The Rams, the second seed in this region, were an impressive 23-9 this season, but the squad caused most of its damage during the first half of the campaign and against non-conference foes. When it came to Atlantic 10 Conference play the team was just 9-7 and, after defeating both Saint Joseph's and Saint Louis in the A-10 Tournament, lost to top-seeded Temple by a score of 57-44 four days ago.

As for seventh-seeded Northwestern, it is in this tourney for the second time in as many years but sports just a 2-4 record in four total appearances in the event. Like URI, the Wildcats thrived during the non-conference portion of the schedule, but when the Big Ten dates began in earnest the squad wasn't nearly as successful. In fact, Northwestern lost four of the last five conference games to close out the regular season and, after topping Indiana in the conference tournament (73-58), was taken out by sixth-ranked Purdue last Friday, 69-61.

Rhode Island won the only previous meeting between these two teams with a 91-87 victory at Madison Square Garden back in 1966 as part of the ECAC Holiday Festival. Tonight's winner will advance to the second round of this tournament and take on the survivor of the Nevada/Wichita State battle.

Despite his sophomore status, John Shurna was a consensus All-Big Ten Conference Second-Team selection as he paced Northwestern in scoring with his 18.3 ppg and was also tops on the glass with close to six and a half rebounds per contest as well. Shurna was sure to get his teammates involved as well, handing out 85 assists to place third in that department. Michael Thompson, who played close to 38 minutes per game, was and is the perimeter threat for the Wildcats with his 41 percent accuracy beyond the arc, leading to his 13.9 ppg. When not firing away from long range, he's using his position on the floor and keen vision to deliver on a team-best 134 assists. Drew Crawford, when not getting into foul trouble, can be counted on for 10.0 ppg and a solid effort on the glass as well.

One of the knocks on the Rams is that, while shooting just 44.9 percent from the field this season, the squad allowed opponents to hit 47.2 percent of their chances, not to mention 35.7 percent behind the three-point line. Yet it was URI that was outscoring those foes by an average of almost six points per game still. Keith Cothran led a trio of double-digit scorers with his 14.6 ppg, while Delroy James added another 12.4 ppg and Lamonte Ulmer 11.8 ppg, to go along with his team-best 7.3 rpg. Much further down on the scoring list are Marquis Jones (5.8 ppg) and Stevie Mejia (3.6 ppg) yet their presence on the floor has been just as important because between the two of them they've accounted for 249 of the team's 483 assists. Even though the Rams rarely get into foul trouble, the defense for Rhode Island is still getting the job done with plenty of steals and a huge number of forced turnovers.

Playing at home will give the Rams a huge boost and considering they were one of the last teams left out of the NCAA Tournament, they also have something to prove in this event.

Predicted Outcome: Rhode Island 67, Northwestern 63

 

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Quinnipiac (23-9) at Virginia Tech (23-8)

Quinnipiac (23-9) at Virginia Tech (23-8)

Quinnipiac (23-9) at Virginia Tech (23-8)


DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Cassell Coliseum (9,847) -- Blacksburg, Virginia. Television: None. NIT Record: Quinnipiac 0-0, Virginia Tech 21-8. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: Winners of two NIT titles, the Virginia Tech Hokies begin their quest for a third championship tonight as they host the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the 73rd annual event at Cassell Coliseum.

A number-one seed for the 2010 tourney, the Hokies were one of the last teams considered for the NCAA Tournament but again failed to make the cut. VaTech had tremendous non-conference success with 13 wins in 15 opportunities, but the squad was just 10-6 versus the rest of the ACC in 2009-10. The Hokies won back-to-back games against NC State and Georgia Tech to close out the regular season, but bowed to Miami in the ACC Tournament by a score of 70-65.

As for the Bobcats, representing the Northeast Conference, they just missed out on the NCAA Tournament this year as they fell to Robert Morris in the title game of the conference tournament last week, 52-50. Back on February 27th, Quinnipiac clinched its first-ever NEC regular-season championship with a 74-65 victory at Fairleigh Dickinson, assuring the Bobcats of a berth in the NIT if they failed to win the conference tournament. This game marks the program's Division I national postseason tournament debut.

The Hokies have a NIT record of 21-8 and trophies stemming from championships in both 1973 and 1995.

The winner of this first-ever meeting will take on the winner of the Northeastern/UConn contest in second-round action.

Heading the list of players to watch for the Bobcats is Justin Rutty who was named the NEC Player of the Year by the league's coaches. Rutty, the first Quinnipiac player to be named the NEC POY since the school joined the conference in 1998-99, averaged 15.0 ppg and led the league with 10.8 rpg. But Rutty was not alone on the All-NEC First Team as he was joined by teammate James Feldeine, who was first on the unit with his 17.3 ppg this season. The duo helped the Bobcats and head coach Tom Moore establish new school highs in terms of total wins (23) at the Division I level and NEC victories (15). More than just a scorer, Feldeine also logged a triple-double this season against Monmouth with 19 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, so clearly he can handle all aspect of the game for the Bobcats when needed. James Johnson is another of the important pieces to the puzzle after he averaged 11.9 ppg and handed out 124 assists over 32 starts.

Helping the Hokies receive a fourth seed in the ACC Tournament this season, Malcolm Delaney was a unanimous selection to the All-ACC First Team as he stepped up to become the league's regular-season scoring champion. Just the second VaTech player to be a unanimous selection to the all-conference team, Delaney had 16 games with at least 20 points and finished with 20.4 ppg in the 30 games in which he played. As someone who forced the action, Delaney wasn't much of a shooter from the floor at just 39.1 percent, but in making a whopping 213-of-252 at the free-throw line he was unstoppable. Dorenzo Hudson, named to the All-ACC Third Team, was responsible for another 14.5 ppg for the Hokies, although his mere 28.4 percent accuracy behind the three-point line left a lot to be desired. Then again, the team as a whole shot just 30.8 percent out on the perimeter.

Getting to the postseason is a victory in itself for the Bobcats, so coming home with a win would certainly be a stretch against a program that felt it was slighted by the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

Predicted Outcome: Virginia Tech 88, Quinnipiac 64