ECU to host first round game in CIT

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#Jump to CIT field and first round schedule#

East Carolina has accepted a invitation to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) and will host a first-round game against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member Savannah State. The matchup, scheduled for a 7 p.m. Tuesday tip-off, will mark the first-ever meeting between the schools.

The Pirates finished the regular season 18-12 overall and tied for fourth place in Conference USA with a 9-7 league record. ECU had a first-round bye in the C-USA Tournament and was eliminated by tournament host Tulsa in the quarterfinal round.

Savannah State, which finished in a third-place tie in the MEAC race with an 11-5 mark, comes into the CIT 19-14 overall. The Tigers, guided by eighth-year coach Horace Broadnax, defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore in the first round of the MEAC Tournament before falling in overtime to Morgan State in a quarterfinal thriller.

The postseason opportunity is the Pirates' second during the three-year tenure of head coach Jeff Lebo. ECU played in the 2011 CIT, losing in overtime to Jacksonville in a first round game in Greenville.

SSU is no stranger to postseason play, having earned a bid to the NIT last season.

Scoring points against the Tigers won't be easy, according to Lebo.

"Savannah State is as good as a defensive team as we’ve played all season," he said in a release announcing the Pirates' acceptance of the invitation to compete in the CIT.

Second-round CIT games will be played March 22-24, quarterfinal games are set for March 26-27 and semifinal games are scheduled for March 29-30. The championship game will be played on April 2 and televised by CBS Sports Network.

All CIT games will be played on campus sites.

Ticket sales and parking details

Tickets for the game are $15 and can be purchased through ECU's Online Ticket Center. Tickets may also be purchased at the main athletic ticket office behind Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium or by calling the ticket office at 252-737-4500. The ticket office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Monday and Tuesday.

ECU season ticket holders may purchase tickets for the same seats they held during the regular season until 5 p.m. Monday.

Each ECU student may purchase one ticket for $5 and additional guest tickets at $15 apiece. Students can pick up their tickets beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the Minges Coliseum Box Office.

Public parking at Minges Coliseum will be on a first-come, first-serve basis on game night. Tournament staff will park in the purple lot.

CIT Field and First Round Schedule

Source: CollegeInsider.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 19:

• Eastern Kentucky (24-9) at Gardner Webb (21-12) 7:00 pm

• Fairfield (19-15) at Kent State (20-13) 7:00 pm

• Savannah State (19-14) at East Carolina (18-12) 7:00 pm

• Rider (18-14) at Hartford (17-13) 7:00 pm

• Oakland (16-16) at Youngstown State (17-15) 7:05 pm

• Boston University (17-12) at Loyola MD (21-11) 7:30 pm

• Tennessee State (18-14) at Evansville (18-14) 8:00 pm

• North Dakota (16-16) at Northern Iowa (18-14) 8:00 pm

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20:

• Elon (21-11) at Canisius (18-13) 7:00 pm

• Green Bay (18-15) at Bradley (16-16) 8:00 pm

• South Alabama (17-12) at Tulane (19-14) 8:00 pm

• Chicago State (11-21) at Illinois-Chicago (17-15) 8:00 pm

• Oral Roberts (18-14) at Texas-Arlington (19-13) 8:30 pm

• High Point (17-13) at Cal-Irvine (20-15) 10:00 pm

• Cal Poly (18-13) at Weber State (26-6) 10:00 pm

• Air Force (17-13) at Hawaii (17-14) 12:00 am

PAGE UPDATED 03/18/13 03:58 AM.

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