UCF to play in NIT, host Colorado Wednesday

ORLANDO, Fla. — For the first time in five years, the UCF men's basketball team is back in postseason play.  Following an impressive regular season and American Athletic Conference Semifinals appearance, the Knights (21-11) will participate in the National Invitation Tournament for the second time ever.

For the first time in program history UCF will host an NIT game. The fourth seeded Knights will welcome fifth seeded Colorado (19-14) to CFE Arena Wednesday at 7 p.m. with coverage on ESPN3 and FM 96.9 The Game.

UCF last appeared in the NIT in 2011-12 after a 21-9 regular season and its only trip to the Conference USA Semifinals.  The Knights have been to four NCAA Tournaments following Atlantic Sun Championships in 1994, 1996, 2004 and 2005.

This season's Knights nearly doubled their most American Athletic Conference victories ever, winning 11 games in league play and earning a first round bye in the conference's tournament for the first time.  Fourth seeded UCF defeated fifth seeded Memphis 84-54 in the quarterfinals, before falling to eventual champion SMU 70-59 in the semis.

In his first season at the helm, UCF head coach

has led the Knights to nine more wins than they recorded last year.  UCF defeated Memphis twice, Temple twice and picked up a victory over then No. 15 Cincinnati.

With a win on Wednesday, the Knights would advance to take on the winner of No. 1 seed Illinois State and No. 8 seed UC Irvine. That game would be played between March 16 and 20.

The first three rounds of the NIT are played at campus sites of the higher seed. The semifinals and finals will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 28 and 30.

WFTV