University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass To Host St. Francis (N.Y.) In Preseason NIT
June 11, 2003 | Men's Basketball
June 11, 2003
Amherst, Mass. -- The University of Massachusetts men's basketball team will host St. Francis (N.Y.) College in the opening round of the 2003 Preseason National Invitation Tournament according to pairings announced today by John J. Powers, the NIT's Executive Director.
The Tournament, which began in 1985, tips off on campus sites throughout the nation with first round action on Nov. 17-18. The second round follows Nov. 19-21, with the semifinal and championship doubleheaders coming to New York's Madison Square Garden Nov. 26-28. ESPN and ESPN2 are slated to carry three first round games, three second round contests, as well as both semifinal games and the title match.
"The Preseason NIT provides a great opportunity for fans to get an early look at their teams against tough competition," said Powers. "The clubs that make it to the Garden look like they are in midseason form and more often than not, these are the teams that go deep into the NCAA Tournament in March.
Coach Steve Lappas' Minutemen return three starters from last year's 11-18 team, while the Terriers of the Northeast Conference posted a 14-16 mark a year ago under the direction of coach Ron Ganulin. UMass and St. Francis have never met on the hardwood.
The winner of the Massachusetts-St. Francis game will advance into the quarterfinals to face the winner of the Davidson at Texas Tech game, Friday, Nov. 21, in a 7 p.m. game televised by ESPN2 from a site to be determined. Other teams in the field included Georgia State, Utah, Missouri-Kansas City, Minnesota, Louisiana Lafayette, Georgia Tech, Hofsta, Marist, Vermont, Nevada, Yale and Connecticut.
Massachusetts will be making its third Preseason NIT appearance and first since splitting a pair of games in the 1998 event. The Minutemen own a 4-2 all-time record in the Tournament, including a runner-up finish in 1993 when they knocked off No. 1 North Carolina in overtime, 91-86, before falling to No. 6 Kansas in the title game, 86-75.
UMass' complete 2003-04 men's basketball schedule will be released later this summer.