March 16, 2008
CBI Bracket in PDF Format | Watch non-televised CBI games online
SEATTLE - The Washington men's basketball team received a postseason berth to the inaugural College Basketball Invitational and will host Valparaiso, the CBI committee announced Sunday night. The Huskies (16-16) and Valpo (21-13) meet, Wednesday, Mar. 19 at 6 p.m. in Bank of America Arena on the UW campus. Washington is the No. 1 seed in the West Region and the Crusaders are No. 4. The game will be televised live on FCS (Fox College Sports). Check listings for the availability of this channel.
If the Huskies win, they play at home again on Monday, Mar. 24 in a quarterfinal contest against the winner of Tuesday's Houston at Nevada clash. CBI tickets for Wednesday's first-round game in Seattle are priced at $15, with a $5 rate for UW students. Season ticket holders have priority and immediate access to purchase tickets online. To guarantee priority, season ticket holders must order CBI tickets by 5 p.m. on Monday, Mar. 17. Tickets to the general public are available beginning, Tuesday, Mar. 18 at 8:30 a.m. They can be purchased on-line (www.gohuskies.com), via telephone (206-543-2200) or at the Husky Ticket Office from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
"We're excited that we still have an opportunity to play," sixth-year UW coach Lorenzo Romar said about the CBI berth. "Our two seniors will be able to play a couple extra games, hopefully, and our guys get to practice more and be together more. We're excited that they want us to be a part of it." The CBI features a 16-team field with all games taking place on campus sites. First-round games are scheduled for Mar. 18 and 19 at eight different venues. The championship round is unique, implementing a best-of-three format with the two participants alternating as hosts. Washington registered a 7-11 record to finish eighth in the tough Pac-10 Conference standings. Six Pac-10 teams received bids to the NCAA Tournament, including No. 1 seed UCLA whose last loss was a 71-61 decision at Washington on Feb. 10. In their last outing, the Huskies lost 84-81 to California on Mar. 12 in the first round of the Pac-10 Tournament. This season's participation in the inaugural CBI marks Washington's 19th foray into postseason play. The Huskies appeared in the NCAA Tournament 13 times, registering a 14-14 combined record. Most recently, UW advanced to back-to-back Sweet Sixteens, in 2005 and 2006. The Huskies have a 3-5 record in five postseason NIT berths, including a first-round loss at Nebraska in 1997 during their last appearance. Washington has never before played against Valpo in men's basketball. The Crusaders tied for fourth place in the Horizon League with a 9-9 record. Valpo won six of its last seven games. |
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