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Bobcats accept bid to play in CIT

Ohio hosts Cleveland State in 1st round


ATHENS – Ohio accepted a bid to play in the CollegeInside.com Tournament and will host Cleveland State in the first round at 7 p.m. Wednesday at The Convo.

The CIT features 32 mid-major teams not selected to either the NCAA Tournament or the National Invitation Tournament. After losing to Akron in the Mid-American Conference tournament quarterfinals, the Bobcats (23-11) reportedly were considered for the NIT but ultimately left out.

"Our men's basketball program is excited to participate in a school-record fifth-straight post-season tournament," Ohio University director of athletics Jim Schaus said. "The CIT will provide our student-athletes with the opportunity to compete for a championship while gaining valuable experience in post-season play. It's also a chance to continue to build our program for future success."

The Bobcats played in the CIT in 2011, winning at Marshall in the first round before losing to East Tennessee State in the second round.

Other appearances in Ohio’s string of postseason tournaments include the NCAA Tournament in 2010 and 2012 and the NIT last year.

Cleveland State (22-11) finished second in the Horizon League with a 12-4 record and lost in the conference’s semifinals to Wright State, which also is in the field of CIT teams after losing the championship game to Milwaukee.

Despite being in-state foes, the Bobcats and Vikings have not met since the 1999-2000 season. Ohio is 9-2 all-time against Cleveland State.

There is no formal bracket for the CIT, which instead pairs winners after each round based on geography.

Other MAC teams in the tournament include Eastern Michigan, which hosts Norfolk State in the first round, and Akron, which plays at IPFW. Buffalo reportedly turned down an invitation to take part in the tournament.

Tickets for Wednesday’s game are $10 and season ticket holders have until 2 p.m. Tuesday to secure their regular home seating for the game. After that, seats will be available for the public to purchase. Students will be admitted free and parking will be free.

Second-round games are slated to be held Friday and Saturday, while the quarterfinals are set for March 25-27. The semifinals and finals, both set to be broadcast on CBSSports Network, are scheduled for April 1 and 3, respectively.

The tournament is in its sixth year. Past winners include East Carolina, Mercer, Iona, Missouri State and Old Dominion.








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