UIC Accepts Invitation to CIT

CHICAGO -- The UIC men’s basketball team will see its 2012-13 season continue, after the Flames accepted an invitation to play in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT).  It marks UIC’s first postseason berth since 2004, and the fifth overall in program history.

UIC will host a first-round game at the Pavilion on Wednesday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. CT, against an undetermined opponent. The CIT is a single-elimination tournament consisting of five rounds.  All games are played on campus sites; which is determined by seeding.

“This is an exciting day for our program,” said head coach Howard Moore.  “We’ve taken some very positive steps forward this season, and our guys deserve a chance to keep playing together.  It gives our seniors a chance to wrap up their careers in the postseason, and our young guys will have more valuable practice and game experience.  As a team, we’ll embrace the opportunity to play in the month of March – it’s something we want our guys to get used to doing every year.”

The CIT, which is in its fifth year, consists of 32 teams and 31 games played in the month of March. First-round games are March 19-20; second-round games will be played March 21-23; the quarterfinals will be held March 24-26; the semifinals are March 28-30; and the championship game is on April 2.  The CIT Championship Game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network on Tuesday, April 2.

UIC is the second Horizon League team to accept a CIT bid, joining Youngstown State. The Flames and Penguins tied for fifth place in the conference standings this year.

UIC’s last postseason berth was in 2004, when the Flames played in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).  The Flames also garnered berths in the NCAA Tournament in 1998, 2002 and 2004.  UIC is 0-4 all-time in the postseason.

(Release courtesy of UICFlames.com)