Georgia didn’t get into the NCAA Tournament but the NIT selection committee showed it some respect.
The Bulldogs (19-13) on Sunday received a No. 2 seed from the National Invitation Tournament, college basketball’s No. 2 tournament. They will play host to Vermont on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum and the game is scheduled to be televised on ESPNU.
Georgia is one of four No. 2 seeds in the 32-team field, which will play the semifinals and finals in New York City at Madison Square Garden. The winner on Wednesday will face the winner of the Louisiana Tech-Iona in the second round.
The Bulldogs drew some tough competition. The Catamounts (22-10) expected to be dancing in the big tournament at this point. But they were upset by Albany (17-16), host of the America East Conference Tournament, in the semifinals of that event a week ago. They had won 11 in a row before that.
This will be Georgia’s 12th appearance in the NIT and it has compiled an 11-11 record in the tournament. The Bulldogs made it to New York for the semifinals twice – in 1982 and 1998 – and finished third both times.
All first-round games will take place at on-campus sites on March 18-19. Second-round matchups will be played between March 20-24. General admission tickets are $15 and can be ordered starting at 9 a.m. Monday online at www.georgiadogs.com or by calling the Athletic Association ticket office 1-877-542-1231 between 8:30a.m. – 4:30p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Seating will be general admission for the first round of the National Invitational Tournament and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Student tickets are just $4 but the first first 500 UGA students will receive free admission to the game and must show their valid UGA ID Card at Stegeman Coliseum ticket windows to claim their free ticket.
