Colorado University Athletics
CU ACCEPTS NIT, WILL PLAY AT OREGON WEDNESDAY
BOULDER ? The Colorado men’s basketball team has accepted an invitation to play in the N.I.T. against the University of Oregon, Wednesday, March 17 in Eugene. Time of the game is 10 p.m. (MST.) on ESPN2.
The Buffaloes finished the regular season fourth in the Big 12 Conference with a 10-6 record and an 18-10 mark overall. CU was seeded No. 4 in the Big 12 Tournament, lost to No. 5 Texas Tech, 79-69, on Friday.
The Ducks (15-12, 9-9) represent the Pac-10 Conference and defeated Cal (87-82) in its opening round game, then lost to Stanford (70-63). Oregon is the third opponent CU will face this season from the Pac-10 having already defeated Oregon State (Dec. 1, 81-66) and Cal (Dec. 6, 78-60).
This will be the fifth ever meeting between the two schools and the first since 1984. The Buffs hold a 3-1 advantage with two wins in Boulder and a 1-1 mark in Eugene.
"We would of loved to have played at home, but we're fortunate to be one of the teams still playing," said head coach Ricardo Patton. "We're looking forward to playing our third Pac-10 team this season."
This will be the third N.I.T. appearance for a Patton coached team in his eight years at Colorado. Back in 1999-2000, CU lost to Southern Illinois, 94-92 in Boulder; and in 1998-99, defeated Pepperdine, 65-61 at home and lost at Colorado State, 86-76.
In 101 years of Colorado basketball, Coach Patton teams have engineered a pair of 20-win seasons and three 18-win campaigns. The history of CU basketball has made great strides under Patton with two of the three 20-win seasons coming under Patton in its history. With only 10 seasons ever to have 18 or more victories in any season, Patton’s teams have garnered five of those at CU.