The Hawkeye men’s basketball team will host Indiana State of the Missouri Valley Conference on Wednesday in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. Iowa is the third seed and Indiana State is the sixth seed. Coach Fran McCaffery talked with the media after the selection.
“We’re thrilled with the opportunity to play in a phenomenal field in the NIT, and to host the first round game is an exciting opportunity for out fans,” McCafferey said. He says he is impressed with Indiana State and the job they did this season.
Most people believed Iowa wouldn’t make the NCAA field after losing to Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament. McCaffery says he did not sit around worrying about it. “I really wasn’t thinking about it one way or the other because I don’t obsess about things that I have no control over. At this point in time, your fate is in the hands of two different committees, so I really don’t think about it that way,” he said.
McCaffery says the NIT is important for this young team as it gives the team a chance to play in a national tournament against quality opponents. He says everyone’s hope is that you play more than one game.
It is the second straight year Iowa has played in the NIT. The game starts at six p.m. Wednesday and will be televised by ESPN-2. Iowa comes into the game at 21-12, while Indiana State is 18-14.