James Madison finished the regular season with a 12-6 mark in Colonial Athletic Association and enters the CIT with a 19-13 overall record. The Dukes tied for the conference title and tied a school record for the most single-season CAA wins.
Upstate set a single-season record for wins during the Division I era with 23 and reached the finals of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament for the first time. Along the way, Upstate turned in victories at Georgia Tech and Mississippi State.
The Spartans registered their first six-game winning streak since the 2005-06 season, and also won the most road games (9) since the 1990-91 team finished the season with 11.
Despite earning a share of the conference crown, James Madison earned the No. 4 seed in the CAA Tournament and fell in the quarterfinals to fifth-seeded Hofstra.
The Dukes are led by All-CAA second team guard Ron Curry and All-CAA third team forward Yohanny Dalembert. Curry averaged a team-best 13.8 points per game to go along with 4.4 assists per game, while Dalembert averaged 11.6 points per game and a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game.
“We’re very excited to be a part of the postseason for the third time in the last four seasons,” Upstate head coach Eddie Payne said. “Having the opportunity to continue playing is really a testament to our team, and we are grateful to come back to the Hodge and let our fans and supporters see us play again. We really hope our fans show up in big numbers and that we have an outstanding crowd.”
The 32-team tournament made up of non-BCS programs is entering its seventh year. The complete 2015 CIT field will be announced by Collegeinsider.com on Sunday. Florida Gulf Coast, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Oakland and Saint Francis (Pa.) have also accepted tournament bids.
With a win in the opening round, Upstate could host a second-round contest as well. The CIT does not utilize a bracket, instead opting to use the old NIT model in which future opponents are determined by results of the previous round to ensure geographic stability. The second round and quarterfinals dates are flexible based on travel, but the semifinals will take place March 31 and the championship is April 2. The semifinals and finals will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network.
Spartan season ticket holders will have their seats reserved until Friday at 5 p.m. for the opening round. Call 503-5144 or 503-5893 to reserve their tickets for purchase at will call or by picking them up at the Hodge from 2-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
Students, faculty, staff and the public may purchase tickets in-person in the Hodge Center Monday from 2-5 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased online.