Green Bay Becomes Third Horizon League Team to Accept CIT Bid

GREEN BAY, Wis. --The Green Bay men’s basketball team has accepted an invitation to play in the 2013 CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT), marking the program’s first appearance in the postseason since 2010.

Green Bay (18-15) will be making its CIT debut at Bradley (16-16) on Wednesday, March 20 at 8 p.m.  ET.

“We are excited about the opportunity to continue our season in a postseason tournament,” said head coach Brian Wardle. “We appreciate the invitation from College Insider and are looking forward to playing Bradley, a well-coached, quality opponent from a strong conference. We are working hard to get our program to contend in the Horizon League and play in the postseason consistently.”

Bradley is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference and posted a 7-11 record in conference play in 2012-13. The Braves and the Phoenix played three common opponents, with Bradley posting a 1-2 record in three meetings with Drake, sweeping its season series with Southern Illinois and beating UIC 63-62 in a BracketBuster contest in Chicago.

The Braves, led by second-year head coach Geno Ford, have three double-digit scorers. Chicago native Walt Lemon, Jr. leads Bradley in scoring at 15.4 points per game. The Phoenix is also led in scoring by a Chicago native, Keifer Sykes. After matching his career high with 31 points in Saturday’s 70-69 loss at Valparaiso, Sykes is averaging 15.8 points per game.

The Phoenix has won six of its last nine games and recently advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League Championship. Green Bay posted wins over Milwaukee and UIC before falling to top-seeded and eventual champion Valparaiso, 70-69, on a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Green Bay last appeared in a postseason tournament in the 2009-10 season, when it played in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). The Phoenix defeated Akron in the opening round before losing in the second round at Saint Louis.

The Phoenix are the third Horizon League team to accept a bid into the CIT, joining Youngstown State and UIC. The Penguins and Flames will each open the event at home next week.