Bracket Announced for
2003 Preseason NIT

NEW YORK, NY (June 12, 2003)-- The University of Connecticut men's basketball team will open play in the 2003 Preseason NIT with a home contest on November 17, 2003 against Yale University at 7:00 p.m. on espn2, it was announced Thursday afternoon. The complete bracket with sites and pairings were announced by John J. Powers, executive director of the NIT.

The UConn-Yale winner will advance to face the winner of the Vermont at Nevada contest which will also be played on November 17. That second round match-up of winners will be held on November 19 at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN at a site to be announced.

Other first-round matchups on UConn's side of the bracket include Hofstra at Marist (November 18) and Louisiana-Lafayette at Georgia Tech (November 18, 7:00 p.m., ESPN).

The other half of the bracket features first round contests with Texas Tech hosting Davidson (November 18, 9:00 p.m., ESPN) and St. Francis (NY) visiting Massachusetts (November 18). The winners of those games will meet in the second round on November 21 at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN.

Rounding out the top half of the bracket is a Missouri-Kansas City at Minnesota contest (November 17) and a game featuring Georgia State at Utah on November 17. Those two winners will meet in the second round on November 19 at 10:30 p.m. on espn2.

The semifinal and championship doubleheaders will be played on November 26th and 28th at Madison Square Garden in New York with television coverage on ESPN and espn2.