March 15, 2017
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THE FLATS – Georgia Tech (18-15) will host a second-round game in the National Invitation Tournament for the first time since 1998 when it hosts Belmont (23-6) at noon Sunday at McCamish Pavilion. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
The Yellow Jackets, in the second round for the second straight year, advanced by defeating the No. 3 seed Indiana, 75-63, Tuesday night at McCamish Pavilion. The Bruins, who received an automatic bid to the NIT after winning the regular-season title in the Ohio Valley Conference, got past Georgia, 78-69, in a first-round game Wednesday night in Athens. Tickets for Sunday’s game will go on sale to the public at noon Thursday.
Tech and Belmont are in the Syracuse quadrant, where the top-seeded Orange (19-14) won their opening-round contest over UNC Greensboro, 90-77, Wednesday night. Mississippi (21-13) is the other remaining team in the Syracuse quadrant, having defeated Monmouth, 91-83, Tuesday night. Syracuse will host the Rebels at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The winner between Tech and Belmont will advance to face the Syracuse-Mississippi winner on Tuesday, March 21.
Georgia Tech is bidding to reach the semifinals in New York for the first time since playing in the championship game in 1971. The Yellow Jackets have reached the quarterfinals three times since then, but came up one win short. Tech has an 11-8 record all-time in nine appearances in the National Invitation Tournament, and is 5-1 in post-season NIT games at home.
NIT INFORMATION AND SCHEDULE
The NIT is a 32-team single-elimination tournament. The 32 teams are split into four groups of eight and seeded No. 1 through No. 8. The higher seeds host the lower seeds on their campus until the semifinals and finals, which take place in Madison Square Garden.
Second-round games will be played between March 16-20. Quarterfinals will be held on March 21 and 22 and four teams will advance to New York City for the semifinals on Tuesday, March 28. The NIT will conclude with the Championship game on Thursday, March 30. The semifinal and championship games will be played at New York’s historic Madison Square Garden for the 80th year.
NIT games are being televised by ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3. Additional NIT information can also be found on www.NCAA.com/NIT.
Second Round — March 16 through 20, campus sites
Quarterfinals — March 21 and 22, campus sites
Semifinals — March 28, Madison Square Garden, New York
Championship — March 30, Madison Square Garden, New York
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its first year under head coach Josh Pastner. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won three ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993), played in the NCAA Tournament 16 times and played in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on Twitter (@GTMBB) and Instagram.
For more information on Tech basketball, visit here.
