Staff Report

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall University’s men’s basketball program has accepted an invitation to play in the CollegeInsider Tournament and will host long-time rival Ohio University in first round action at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Cam Henderson Center.

Tickets for the first-round contest will go on sale at the Cam Henderson Center Box Office and online at http://www.Herdzone.com. The Henderson Center Box Office will also remain open on Monday until 7 p.m. to accommodate fans. Tickets are $21, $15 and $13 for the game. Marshall University students can purchase tickets for $5 with a valid student ID during ticket office hours.

Season ticket holders who responded to the postseason reservation form can begin picking up tickets Monday during business hours in the Henderson Center Box Office lobby.

This marks the second consecutive post-season berth for Marshall’s men’s basketball program. The Herd advanced to the second round of last year’s CIT before falling to Appalachian State (80-72). Marshall is making back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time since 1988, when the Herd made an appearance in the 1987 NCAA Tournament and the 1988 NIT.

Marshall (22-11 overall) will face Ohio (18-15) for the second time this season. The Thundering Herd downed the Bobcats, 65-57, in Athens back on Dec. 4. Tuesday night’s contest will be the 97th meeting all-time between the two schools and Ohio leads the all-time series 50-46.

Marshall applied to and entered into a binding agreement with the NIT to participate in that tournament should the Herd be selected, however the invitation was not extended.

“I was very disappointed that we did not receive a bid to the NIT, however we are still playing post-season basketball and we need our fans to come out and support our team,” said Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick.

“Our administration exhausted every resource to be included into the NIT,” Marshall coach Tom Herrion said.

“With that said, we are excited to have the opportunity to continue playing basketball in the postseason and I encourage all of our fans to make their way to the Henderson Center and support our kids on Tuesday night as we take on a very good Ohio team.”