George Washington University Athletics
GW Men Receive NIT Bid; Will Face Virginia March 17
3/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 14, 2004
WASHINGTON, DC - The George Washington men's basketball team will spend St. Patrick's Day in Charlottesville, VA when they face the University of Virginia Cavaliers in the opening round of the 2004 National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday, March 17 at University Hall in Charlottesville, VA. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
The Colonials (18-11, 11-5 A-10) will meet Virginia (17-12, 6-10 ACC) for the first time since the 1984-85 season when the Cavaliers prevailed, 51-42, in Charlottesville. Virginia owns a slim 23-21 advantage over GW in the all-time series between the schools which dates back to 1907.
George Washington enters the NIT for the first time since 1997 when the Colonials lost to Mateen Cleeves and Michigan State in the opening round at East Lansing, MI. GW has not won a game in the postseason NIT in three previous appearances.
The game marks GW's first appearance in the postseason since the 1999 NCAA Tournament when GW lost to 17th-ranked Indiana and coach Bob Knight in the first round at Orlando, FL.
GW is coming off a 1-1 showing in the 2004 Atlantic 10 Tournament as the second seed from the West Division. GW defeated East 3 seed Rhode Island, 79-50, in Thursday's quarterfinal round before losing to A-10 champion Xavier, 70-47, in Friday's semifinal at Dayton, OH.
Virginia (17-12) is coming off an 84-74 loss to No. 5 Duke in the ACC quarterfinal round last Friday in Greensboro, NC. Virginia was seeded 8th in the ACC tournament.
The NIT, which expanded to a 40-team field in 2002, culminates in Madison Square Garden with the championship on April 1. Started in 1938, it is the oldest national postseason college basketball tournament in the country.
For ticket information, please call the GW Ticket office at 202-994-6050.
