Southern Miss No. 1 seed in NIT

The day after losing to Memphis in the Conference USA tournament championship game, the Southern Miss men’s basketball team was awarded a bid to the National Invitational Tournament.

Southern Miss was announced as a No. 1 seed, along with Kentucky, Alabama and Virginia.

The No. 1 seed means that USM will host No. 8 seed Charleston Southern (19-12) on Wednesday night at 8:15 p.m. in Reed Green Coliseum. The game will be broadcasted live on ESPN3.

If Southern Miss wins, they will continue to host all games until the Final Four, which will be played in Madison Square Garden in New York City.

This is the Eagles’ ninth NIT appearance. Overall, the Eagles are 6-7 in NIT play, winning the tournament in 1987.

First year coach Donnie Tyndall has purchased 1,000 tickets for students to attend the game. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the first 1,000 students to show a validated student ID receive free admission.