Historic Men's Basketball Season to Conclude in NIT Championship Game

Last night the UC Irvine men’s basketball team beat North Texas 69-67 in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament in Indianapolis. The team will play Chattanooga for the NIT title on Thursday, April 3, at 6:00 p.m. (PDT). This is the first time in program history that the Anteaters will be in the NIT final.

This was UC Irvine’s 32^nd victory of the season, a new school record, and makes us one of only five universities in the nation to win 32 or more games this season. It also marked our 15^th road win, and no other school has won as many games on the road.

Congratulations to everyone who played a part in the team’s great success this year: the players, who give so generously their energy, their talent, and their passion to the game they love, all the while carrying heavy course loads and pursuing their degrees; the coaches, led by Russell Turner, who unstintingly teach each member of the team how to be a better player and, in the process, a better student and a better person; and the hardworking people of our athletics department, led by director Paula Smith, whose dedication and support for the team are unequalled.

Please join your fellow Anteaters tomorrow to cheer on the team at the Bren Events Center alongside Peter the Anteater, the band and Spirit Squad at a special viewing party. Admission is free. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at the Bren Events Center Entrance 3. The first 100 fans to arrive will receive a t-shirt or a ZOT Foam Finger. During the watch party, concessions will be available, and fans can enter to win raffle items during commercial breaks. 

Again, congratulations to our men’s basketball team on its historic achievements! Go ‘Eaters! Zot! Zot! Zot!