Valpo to Host Columbia in CIT Opening Round

The Valparaiso men's basketball team's fourth straight postseason appearance will begin at the ARC against Ivy League foe Columbia in the first round of the 2014 CollegeInsider.com Tournament on Tuesday, March 18 at 8:05 p.m. ET.

Valparaiso enters the CIT with an 18-15 record overall this season, including a 9-7 mark in Horizon League play – Valpo's fifth straight season over .500 in one of the nation's top-12 leagues. The Crusaders are led by First Team All-Horizon League selection Lavonte Dority (Chicago, Ill./Foreman [USF]), who averages 16.0 ppg and shoots 43.2 percent from the 3-point line, while All-Freshman Team choice Alec Peters (Washington, Ill./Washington) paced Valpo with 47 points in its two HL Championship games.

Columbia brings a 19-12 mark into the CIT, including an 8-6 record in Ivy League play. The Lions are led by junior forward Alex Rosenberg, who averages 16.2 ppg and hits at a 43.1-percent clip from 3-point range. Rosenberg also gets to the free throw line better than eight times a game and is an 82.6 percent shooter from the stripe, leading the Columbia squad to a top-10 spot nationally in team free throw percentage (77.0%). Sophomore guards Maodo Lo (14.5 ppg, 44.9 3-point field goal percentage) and Grant Mullins (11.7 ppg, 89.9 free-throw percentage) also average in double figures for the Lions.

The Crusaders and Lions have had no common opponents this season. Valpo and Columbia have met twice previously on the hardwood, with the Lions earning a 66-64 win on Dec. 30, 1957 and the Crusaders winning 71-55 on Dec. 21, 2001 in Laie, Hawaii. The last time Valpo hosted an Ivy League squad was on Dec. 18, 1993, when the Crusaders defeated Dartmouth 100-54.

Tickets are available now for Tuesday night's game by visiting ValpoAthletics.com, calling 877-MY-VU-TIX or 219-464-5233, or by visiting the ticket office, located in the main lobby of the ARC.