By: Andrew Gavin (@GBGavin)
GreenBayPhoenix.com
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com)
- Head coach Brian Wardle and
the Green Bay men's basketball team have accepted an invitation to play in the
2013 CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT), marking the program's first appearance
in this postseason tournament. Green Bay (18-15) will open the tournament at
Bradley (16-16) on Wednesday, March 20 at 7 p.m.
"We are excited about the opportunity to continue our season
in a postseason tournament," said Wardle. "We appreciate the invitation from College
Insider and are looking forward to playing Bradley, a well-coached, quality
opponent from a strong conference. We are working hard to get our program to contend
in the Horizon League and play in the postseason consistently."
Bradley is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference and
posted a 7-11 record in conference play this season. The Braves and the Phoenix
played three common opponents, with Bradley posting a 1-2 record in three
meetings with Drake, sweeping its season series with Southern Illinois and
beating UIC 63-62 in a BracketBuster contest in Chicago.
The Braves, led by second-year head coach Geno Ford, have
three double-digit scorers. Chicago native Walt Lemon, Jr. leads Bradley in
scoring at 15.4 points per game. The Phoenix is also led in scoring by a
Chicago native, Keifer Sykes. After
matching his career high with 31 points in Saturday's 70-69 loss at Valparaiso,
Sykes is averaging 15.8 points per game.
The Phoenix has won six of its last nine games and
recently advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League Championship. Green
Bay posted wins over Milwaukee
(62-46) and UIC
(64-63) before falling to top-seeded and eventual champion Valparaiso
70-69 on a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer.
Green Bay last appeared in a postseason tournament in the
2009-10 season, when it played in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI).
The Phoenix defeated Akron in the opening round before losing in the second
round at Saint Louis.
Tickets for the CIT opener at $22 between the baselines and $20 in the endzones. Tickets are available for purchase in person at the Renaissance Coliseum Box Office, all TicketMaster outlets, by phone at 309.677.2625 or online at BradleyBraves.com.
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