Men's Basketball Southern Conference

College of Charleston Earns NIT Berth

Charleston, S.C. - The College of Charleston men's basketball team will travel to Kent, Ohio, Wednesday, Mar. 19th, to face the Kent State Golden Flashes in the opening round of the 2003 Owens Corning National Invitational Tournament. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 pm.

The game will be played at the 6,327-seat Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center on the campus of Kent State.

"I think it's a tremendous tribute to these kids," said head men's basketball coach Tom Herrion. "People at the College, in the community and in the city should be very excited about us being in the post-season. A lot of schools would love to be where we are tonight, part of the oldest post-season tournament in the country."

It's the school's seventh post-season appearance in the last 10 years and their third trip to the NIT. Charleston played in the 1995 NIT losing a 72-67 decision at Providence.

The Cougars opened the 1996 NIT with a 55-49 win at Tennessee before dropping a 62-58 overtime decision at Rhode Island.

The Cougars last post-season appearance was an NCAA Tournament berth in 1999.

The Cougars finished the season with a 24-7 record, including a Southern Conference-best 13-3 league mark.

Kent State finished with a 21-9 record, falling in the Mid-American Conference tournament championship to Central Michigan.