JournalStar.com

NU men will play Charlotte in NIT

By BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Sunday, Mar 16, 2008 - 08:20:24 pm CDT
The Nebraska men’s basketball team will be staying at home for the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

The Huskers earned a No. 3 seed and will play No. 6 seed Charlotte on Wednesday at the Devaney Sports Center. Tip-off is at 8 p.m. on ESPN Classic. The winner plays the winner of the Mississippi-UC Santa Barbara game.

It’s the Huskers’ third NIT appearance in five years, and the first under second-year coach Doc Sadler.

Nebraska finished the regular season 19-12 after going 1-1 in last week’s Big 12 Conference Tournament. With one more victory, the Huskers will have their first 20-win season since 1998-99.

The Huskers were 7-9 in the Big 12 Conference regular season, going 7-5 after starting 0-4.

Other Big 12 Tournament teams in the NIT include Oklahoma State. That gives the conference eight postseason teams, including six that were selected for the NCAA Tournament.

Nebraska is 4-7 against teams in the NCAA Tournament, with victories over Kansas State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Oregon.

This is Nebraska’s 21st all-time postseason appearance, including its 15th in the NIT. The Huskers are 22-13 in the NIT, with a championship in 1996. Nebraska is 5-4 in the NIT in the Big 12 era.

Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.