Grand Canyon accepts invitation to the 16-team CBI Tournament
Mar 11, 2018, 8:21 PM | Updated: Mar 12, 2018, 5:59 am
Grand Canyon guard Casey Benson (11) shoots while diving past New Mexico State forward Jemerrio Jones (10) and guard Zach Lofton (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Western Athletic Conference men's tournament final Saturday, March 10, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)
(AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)
It’s not the big dance, but the Grand Canyon Antelopes have accepted a bid to the 16-team College Basketball Invitational Tournament.
The Lopes finished just one win away from making the NCAA Tournament before dropping the WAC Championship game to New Mexico State on Saturday.
As a consolation prize, the Lopes will have the privilege of hosting the Mercer Bears at GCU Arena in its first game of the tournament on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Mercer finished fourth in the Southern Conference with an 18-14 overall record but finished the season with a nine-game win streak before losing to Wofford in its conference tournament.
Grand Canyon has some familiarity with some of the other teams in the CBI Tournament.
Utah Valley, who the Antelopes defeated in the WAC Tournament semifinals, are also in the 16-team field. Conference foes Seattle and UT Rio Grande Valley also received bids on the other side of the bracket.
The CBI is a single-elimination tournament until the championship round when the final two teams will compete in a best-of-three series.
