TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (seminoles.com) - Florida State will make its seventh appearance in the NIT as it plays host to Louisiana Tech on Tuesday at 7:15 at the Donald L. Tucker Center. The Seminoles are one of four No. 4 seeds in the 32-team tournament and will face one of the four No. 5 seeds in the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs won the regular season championship of the Western Athletic Conference before losing to Texas San Antonio in the first round of the WAC Tournament. The winner of Tuesday's game between Florida State and Louisiana Tech will meet the winner of the Southern Mississippi and Charleston Southern game in a date to be determined.
"This is a very important opportunity for our basketball team to continue to play and continue to gain experience," said head coach Leonard Hamilton. "We look at this year's NIT and see that there are some outstanding teams in this tournament; teams that have had great years. This tournament is going to be extremely competitive and as I look at the field this is going to as good an NIT as I have ever seen. Our players are excited, our staff is excited and we hope our fans can get excited and stay behind this team as they have been all season long."
Florida State is 18-15 entering the NIT after finishing in sixth place in the ACC with a 9-9 record. The Seminoles were 1-1 in the ACC Tournament with a win over Clemson in the first round of the tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Florida State is the third winningest program in the ACC since the start of the 2005-06 season, is the second winningest program in the ACC Tournament in the since 2009 and have won four of their last five ACC Tournament games.
The Seminoles enter the 2013 NIT having won three of their last four games including a win over NCAA Tournament participant NC State (73-69, March 9). The Seminoles played 10 games against teams that were selected to play in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
The Seminoles' selection to the NIT marks the school-record eighth consecutive postseason appearance for the Seminoles - all under 11th year Head Coach Leonard Hamilton. The Seminoles have appeared in the NIT in five seasons under Hamilton (2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008) and will make their first appearance in the NIT since 2008 following a school record four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
Tickets for the Seminoles' game against Louisiana Tech on Tuesday night will go on sale Sunday evening at www.seminoles.com and Monday morning over the phone beginning at 8:30am by calling 888-378-6653. Tickets will be $15 for adults and $4 for youth (ages 18 & under). All seating for NIT games at the Tucker Center will be first-come, first-served General Admission seating. Fans are encouraged to order tickets in advance and take advantage of our Print-At-Home email ticket delivery to avoid possible lines on game night given the quick turnaround.
The first 1,000 students to enter the Tucker Center by swiping their valid FSU ID at the entrance will be admitted for free. Gates will open one hour prior to tip-off. After the first 1,000 FSU students have entered, student tickets may be purchased for $4 at the main Tucker Center box office.
