March 16, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland men's basketball team will face the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first round of the 2008 MasterCard National Invitation Tournament. The Terrapins and Gophers will meet Tuesday night (March 18) in Minneapolis. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

The Terps earned a No. 5 seed, while Minnesota was seeded fourth. Maryland is 3-0 all-time against the Golden Gophers.

Maryland (18-14, 8-8 ACC) owns a record of 10-5 in six appearances the NIT. The Terrapins are 5-3 in road NIT games. Maryland won the 1972 championship with a 100-69 victory over Niagara at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The winner of the Maryland's first-round matchup will advance to face the winner of the first round game between No. 1-seed Syracuse and No. 8-seeded Robert Morris.