Men's Hoops Opens at Duke in Preseason NIT
September 26, 2005 | Men's Basketball
âÂ?oePlaying Duke presents a great challenge and an exciting opportunity for our program,âÂ?Â? said Terrier head coach Dennis Wolff, who is 192-133 (.591) entering his 12th season on the bench at BU and is the schoolâÂ?TMs all-time leader in victories. âÂ?oeThe exposure of playing on national television is an added benefit and we are excited about opening our season in such a terrific atmosphere.âÂ?Â?
The sites and pairing for the entire Preseason National Invitation Tournament were announced by NIT Executive Director John J. Powers.
âÂ?oeItâÂ?TMs hard to believe that we have 20 years of great college basketball behind us,âÂ?Â? commented Powers now in his 17th year at the NIT helm. âÂ?oeThe 2005 field has some great teams with great college basketball history,âÂ?Â? he continued.
In addition to BU and Duke, the 2005 Preseason NIT features Seton Hall, Memphis, Missouri, UCLA, Temple, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Alabama, Manhattan College, Sam Houston State, Drexel, Princeton, Miami (Ohio), Army and New Mexico State. Duke has won the preseason NIT twice âÂ?" the inaugural event in 1985 and again in 2000.
BU is led by senior guard Shaun Wynn (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who averaged 6.2 ppg and 3.4 apg last year, and senior forward Kevin Gardner, who averaged 7.3 ppg and 5.7 rpg. The Terriers will be without the services of the graduated Rashad Bell (15.6 ppg) and Chaz Carr (13.1 ppg), who led BU to a school record 85 wins in four years and four consecutive postseason appearances (1 NCAA, 3 NIT). Duke is coached by Mike Krzyzewski, who has three national championships under his belt (1991, 1992, 2001), and led by All-America candidate senior guard J.J. Redick (21.8 ppg) and senior forward Shelden Williams (15.5 ppg, 11.2 rpg), who was the 2004-05 national Defensive Player of the Year.
The 16-team Preseason NIT will take place on campus sites, with first-round action featuring four games on Nov. 14 and four more games on Nov. 15.
Tipping off on the 14th will be BU at Duke (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.), Manhattan at Seton Hall; Sam Houston State at Missouri; and Drexel at Princeton. Games on the 15th will showcase Miami (Ohio) at Alabama; Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Memphis; Army at Temple; and New Mexico State at UCLA (ESPN2, 10 p.m.).
The second round will be played on Nov. 16-17, also at campus sites, and the semifinals and final doubleheader action coming to New York CityâÂ?TMs Madison Square Garden on Nov. 23 and Nov. 25.
ESPN will again provide television coverage, carrying two first round games, one second round contest and all four games in the championship round.
