Utah Valley University will host George Washington University in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on March 15 at the UCCU Center. This marks Utah Valley’s fourth appearance in the NIT and follows its second consecutive Western Athletic Conference regular season championship.
The matchup is set for Wednesday at 6 p.m. Mountain Time. George Washington enters the game with an overall record of 18-15 and finished 8-10 in Atlantic 10 play. The Colonials reached the quarterfinals of their conference tournament before losing to top-seeded Saint Louis, which earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament earlier on Sunday.
The winner between Utah Valley and George Washington will advance to face either New Mexico or Sam Houston in the second round, scheduled for March 21-22. New Mexico is one of four No. 1 seeds in this year’s 32-team field, which includes teams from 18 conferences. Utah Valley holds a No. 4 seed, while the lower half of the bracket consists of unseeded teams placed by the NIT Committee based on geographic proximity.
Quarterfinal games are planned for March 24 and 25, with four teams moving on to Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for semifinals during Final Four weekend on April 2. The championship game will take place April 5 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after Division II and III men’s basketball national championships conclude.
Several current and future conference partners for Utah Valley are also participating in this year’s NIT, including former Western Athletic Conference members Stephen F. Austin, Seattle University, Sam Houston, as well as UC Irvine—the Big West regular season champion and future home for Utah Valley athletics.
Further details about tickets and event information will be shared through Utah Valley’s social media channels and GoUVU.com.
