Seattle U has accepted an invitation to participate in the 2015 College Basketball Invitational and will host Pepperdine University in the opening round at 7 p.m. (PT) Wednesday, March 18, at the Connolly Center on the Seattle U campus.
This will be the first time Seattle U has participated in a national Division I postseason tournament since March 8, 1969, when it lost to Weber State, 75-73, in the first round of that year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. Seattle U has previously competed in 11 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournaments, as well as the 1951 National Catholic Invitation Tournament and two National Invitation Tournaments (1952 and 1957 NIT).
Seattle U currently holds a 16-15 overall record and has won five of its last seven games, as the Redhawks advanced to the championship game of the 2015 WAC Tournament. The Redhawks are led by first team All-WAC and All-WAC Tournament honoree Isiah Umipig, who leads the team in scoring (17.0) and ranks third in Division I in three-pointers per game (3.61).
Pepperdine posted an 18-13 overall record during the 2014-15 season, including a 10-8 mark in the West Coast Conference. The Waves advanced to the semifinals of the WCC Tournament before losing to eventual tournament champion Gonzaga, 79-61. Stacy Davis is the team’s leading player, averaging 15.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
The winner of the game between the Redhawks and the Waves will move onto the CBI quarterfinals Monday, March 23, against either Colorado or Gardner-Webb.