Men's Basketball Southern Conference

Davidson To Face Texas Tech In NIT

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- The Davidson men's basketball team will go on the road to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Spirit Arena in the opening round of the Preseason NIT on Tuesday, Nov. 18, to kick off the 2003-04 season. Tip time is set for 9 p.m., with the contest to be televised on ESPN. This the second consecutive year the 'Cats will play their opener on national television.

"The NIT committee has given us an assist in our desire to play a competitive and attractive schedule," said Davidson head coach Bob McKillop. "Playing against Texas Tech gives us the opportunity to compete against a Hall of Fame coach who consistently has his teams in the top 10. Bobby Knight is moving Texas Tech in the direction."

The Wildcats and Red Raiders have met only once before. Davidson came out on top, 54-51, on Nov. 27, 1982, in the Crush Classic in Rosemont, Ill.

Davidson finished the 2002-03 season with a record of 17-9 overall and 11-5 in the Southern Conference. The Wildcats earned the SoCon North Division crown for the second straight year.

Texas Tech is coming off a 22-13 season, earning a victory over Minnesota in the consolation game of the NIT in Madison Square Garden.

The Preseason NIT began in 1985 and is comprised of 16 teams with NCAA rules allowing for only one team from a conference to participate in a given year. The format is similar to the postseason tournament. The first two rounds are held at campus sites and the semifinals and the finals are held at Madison Square Garden during the Thanksgiving weekend. This season, Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Utah, Georgia State, Hofstra, Louisiana-Lafayette, Marist, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri-Kansas City, Nevada, St. Francis, Vermont and Yale will join Davidson and Texas Tech in the tournament.

Davidson last appeared in the Preseason NIT in 1999-00 when the 'Cats lost at Siena, 89-79, in the opening round. North Carolina is the defending champion, the Tar Heels defeating Stanford in the championship game in 2002.

With a victory over Texas Tech, Davidson would battle the winner of UMass and St. Francis. The complete 2003-04 Preseason NIT bracket can be found on www.nit.org.