NIT Game Preview
No. 7 Weber State at No. 2 Cincinnati
Fifth Third Arena (13,176), Cincinnati
Wednesday, March 17, 5 p.m. MDT, ESPN2
Records: Weber State is 20-10. The Wildcats finished 13-3 in the Big Sky, winning the regular-season title. Cincinnati went 18-15 overall and 7-11 in Big East play.
Coaches: Weber State’s Randy Rahe is 77-46 in his fourth season. Cincinnati’s Mick Cronin is 60-67 in his fourth season. Prior to coaching the Bearcats, Cronin went 69-24 in three seasons at Murray State. Rahe is 0-1 in the NIT.
Series history: First Meeting.
Common Opponents: None.
NIT History: Weber State is playing in the NIT for the second straight season and the third time in school history. The Wildcats lost to San Diego State 65-49 in a first-round game in 2009. In 1984, Weber State beat Fordham 75-63 in the first round and fell to SW Louisiana 74-72 in two overtimes in the second round….Cincinnati is in the NIT for the 10th time, and the first time since 2006. The Bearcats are 7-9 overall in the NIT. In 2006, the Bearcats advanced to the quarterfinals.
Weber State notes: Weber State is playing in a national tournament for the third time in four years under Rahe. The Wildcats went to the NCAAs in 2007…Weber State went 4-8 on the road this season…Weber State is 0-1 all-time against current members of the Big East. In the second round of the 1995 NCAA Tournament, Weber State lost 53-51 to Allen Iverson and the Georgetown Hoyas in the second round...WSU sophomore Damian Lillard ranks 31st in the nation in scoring at 19.7 points per game...WSU is 26th in the nation in 3-pointers per game (8.1) and 34th in scoring offense (76.6 ppg).