April 27, 2000
Fairfield, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's basketball team accepted a bid to the 2000 Pre-Season NIT, one of 16 teams to receive the prestigious invitation. The Stags will join Duke University (ranked first in the final Top 25 poll), Temple University (ranked fifth), the University of Texas (ranked 15th) and Indiana University (ranked 22nd) in the field. This invitation marks the first time Fairfield has garnered a berth in the pre-season NIT, although the program has participated in the post-season tournament four times (1973, 1974, 1978 and 1996).
The rest of the field includes the University of New Mexico, the University of California, Princeton University, Villanova University, Marquette University, the University of Delaware, Pepperdine University, Mississippi State University, George Mason University, the United States Naval Academy and the University of South Alabama.
While the dates, sites and pairing have yet to be announced, the semifinals and finals of the tournament will be played at Madison Square Garden.
The Stags finished the 1999-2000 season with a 14-15 overall record and an 11-7 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference mark. Fairfield, under second-year head coach Tim O'Toole, reached the MAAC tournament semi-finals.
