Boise State to Play in College Basketball Invitational
BOISE, Idaho
– The Boise State men’s basketball team was selected to play in the 2011 College Basketball Invitational Presented by Zebra Pen Sunday, and will host Austin Peay Tuesday (March 15), at 7 p.m. at Taco Bell Arena.
The Broncos (20-12) and Governors (20-13) are one of eight first-round match-ups in the tournament, and the winner will advance to face either Hofstra or Evansville.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to play in the postseason,” Boise State Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier said. “It’s a great reward for our players and coaches. They’ve worked hard, and they’ve earned the right to continue their season. I hope the community comes out and supports the team after a very successful year.”
Tickets are on sale now at www.idahotickets.com, and at all Select-A-Seat outlets. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7.50 for juniors and $5 for Boise State students and their guests.
The Boise State Athletic Ticket Office will be open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, and from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday. All tickets paid for via the web must be picked up at the ticket office.
Season ticket holders need to log into their accounts to purchase their seats from this season. Taco Bell Arena Lifetime members can pick up their tickets beginning Monday at the Athletic Ticket Office.
The CBI is a 16-team, single-elimination tournament, up until the championship series, with all games being played at campus sites of the higher seed. The championship will be decided by a best of three series.
“The way we’ve played recently, we're really excited to continue playing,” Boise State Head Coach Leon Rice said. “Anytime you get to play in the postseason, you’re going to play a quality opponent. It’s nice to play different teams from different regions and different conferences, so this is exciting for us.”
Boise State also played in the CBI in 2009, falling to Stanford (96-76) in the first round.
Hawai‘i to Host Portland in CIT
HONOLULU
– The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team (18-12, 8-8 WAC) returns to the postseason for the first time in seven years when the Rainbow Warriors host Portland (20-11, 7-7 WCC) in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament on Tuesday, March 15. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.
This is the third year of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. This year's field has expanded by eight to include 24 teams in all. Four first-round winners will advance to the quarterfinals and eight other first-round winners will play for the right to advance to the quarterfinals.
The 'Bows, who suffered a heartbreaking 75-74 loss to San Jose State in the Western Athletic Conference first round on March 9, are led by sharp shooter Zane Johnson (15.8 ppg, 97 three-pointers) and senior forward Bill Amis (15.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg). The 'Bows turnaround season includes an eight-win improvement from last year and a fifth-place finish in the WAC.
Portland, out of the West Coast Conference, will be making its third straight appearance in the CIT after posting its second straight 20-win season. Like UH, the Pilots were also bounced from the first round of their conference tournament, falling to Loyola Marymount on March 4.
UH last qualified for the postseason in the 2003-04 season, advancing to the quarterfinals of the NIT. The Bows hosted a round of 16 game during that run, defeating Nebraska before sellout crowd at the Stan Sheriff Center in the round of 16.
Idaho Accepts CIT Bid
MOSCOW, Idaho
- University of Idaho men's basketball accepted an invitation on Thursday to participate in its second CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) in three years, as the Vandals will play at San Francisco on Wednesday, March 16, at 7 p.m.
"We're very happy to still be playing, and to be in the CIT is a great thing for our basketball team and our program," Idaho head coach Don Verlin said.
The game will be played at USF's War Memorial Gym. San Francisco is 17-14 this season after being eliminated in the semifinal round of the West Coast Conference Tournament last week. Idaho is 18-13 overall after falling in the quarterfinal round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament on Thursday.
Idaho and USF have faced each other four times in a series that dates to 1939. It's a 2-2 split, with the last being an 86-85 USF win at the 1992 Big Island Classic, played at Hawai'i.
"I don't know much about them," Verlin said of USF. "I watched them a little the other night and I know they had a really good year and they finished third in the WCC, so it's going to be a tough game."
This will be Idaho's second CIT appearance. The Vandals played in the tournament in 2009, Verlin's first season at Idaho. The Vandals beat Drake, 69-67, in the opening round at Memorial Gym, then fell in the second round at Pacific, 69-59.
"We're just hoping it's a preview of things to come," Verlin said of the bid. "We just want to continue to build this program, and we want to take the necessary steps to keep playing in things like the CIT and to get to the NCAA tournament in the near future."
San Jose State Invited to Play in CBI
The San Jose State University men's basketball season continues.
After advancing to the 2011 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament semifinal round for the first time, San Jose State accepted an invitation to participate in the fourth annual College Basketball Invitational (CBI) presented by Zebra Pen.
In its first appearance in the CBI, San Jose State University will face Creighton University, Tuesday, March 15 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. Game time is not yet set.
Presently, the Spartans have a 17-15 win-loss record. The 17 wins are the most for San Jose State since 1981. The Spartans' last game was a 58-54 loss to Western Athletic Conference champion and 23rd-ranked Utah State in Associated Press poll on March 11.
"Playing in the CBI is another step forward for our basketball program. We had a successful season and are delighted to participate in post-season basketball," says San Jose State head coach George Nessman. "The CBI will be a fun experience for our players, coaches, fans and San Jose State University."
San Jose State features All-WAC fifth-year senior guards Adrian Oliver and Justin Graham. The 6-foot-4 Oliver is a two-time, first-team All-WAC player who is in the top-five in scoring for the second season in a row. Oliver, fourth in 2010, is third nationally in 2011 with his 24.3 points a game average. He holds or shares 13 school records.
Graham, another 6-foot-4 senior, is a 2011 honorable mention All-WAC player and an All-WAC Defensive team selection. Graham is the school record holder for career assists and career steals and is averaging 14.3 points a game.
San Jose State is making its first appearance in the CBI and a return to national post-season basketball for the first time since the 1996 NCAA Basketball Championship.
First-round games are scheduled for March 15 and 16. Quarterfinal and semifinal games take place March 21 and March 23, respectively. The championship series is a 2-out-of-3 format on March 28 and 30 with a final game on April 1, if necessary. HDNet will televise the semifinals and championship series.
"We're honored and flattered that the Gazelle Group invited San Jose State to participate in the CBI. Our thanks go to Rick Giles and Ray Cella of the Gazelle Group who heard our story about our breakthrough season and offered our basketball program a post-season experience we will remember for a long, long time," says San Jose State director of athletics Tom Bowen.