Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs to Host Temple in First Round of the NIT
3/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State men's basketball team will play in the postseason for the seventh consecutive season, hosting Temple in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday. The Bulldogs will host the Owls at Selland Arena at 9 p.m. PT on ESPN.
The NIT has expanded to 40 teams this season, up from 32 in previous years. First round games begin March 12. The semifinals are scheduled for March 26 with the championship slated for March 28 at Madison Square Garden.
The Bulldogs, who finished the season with a 19-14 record, are making their eighth NIT appearance and own a 14-7 record in the NIT. The Bulldogs last appearance in the NIT was in 1999, losing a first round game to eventual NIT champion California 79-71. Fresno State made four straight NIT appearances from 1996-99, reaching the semifinals in 1998. The Bulldogs won the 1983 NIT title with a 69-60 victory over DePaul.
Temple, led by Hall of Fame coach John Chaney, finished with a 15-14 overall record and a 12-4 record in the Atlantic 10. After a 3-10 start to the year, the Owls finished the season winning nine of their final 11 games, including five of the last six, before losing to LaSalle in the first round of the A-10 Tournament. The Owls advanced to regional final of the NCAA tournament in 2001.
The winner of the Fresno State vs. Temple game will play the winner of the Princeton vs. Louisville contest at a date to be determined later.
"We are very happy to selected for the NIT," said Fresno State head coach Jerry Tarkanian. "We have had a lot of problems this season but I really like the way this team has hung together and stayed together. It is a credit to them that we won 19 games and they deserve to play in the postseason. Temple is a great program and John Chaney is a great coach. This is going to be a great game for us and our fans."
Fresno State, which finished third in the Preseason NIT this season, has made seven straight postseason appearances under Tarkanian, five in the NIT and two in the NCAA tournament. Tarkanian is one victory shy of 20 wins, which would tie the NCAA record for most winning seasons. North Carolina's Dean Smith owns the record with 30 20-win seasons.
The Bulldogs are led by WAC Player of the Year Melvin Ely, who is the nation's fifth leading scorer at 23.5 points per game.
Season ticket holders can purchase tickets Monday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Bulldog Ticket Office. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Tuesday at 9 a.m. The Bulldog Ticket Office hours will be 9-5 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday. Call the Bulldog Ticket Office at (559) 278-DOGS for more information.
