March 21, 2000
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The Notre Dame men’s basketball team (20-14) will play host to BYU (22-10) at 9:00 p.m. EST Wednesday, March 22, at the Joyce Center in a third-round National Invitation Tournament matchup.
The game will be televised by ESPN.
This is Notre Dame’s 31st overall postseason men’s basketball appearance and its seventh in the NIT. The Irish previously played in the NIT in 1968 (third place), 1973 (runnerup), 1983 (first-round loss), 1984 (runnerup), 1992 (runnerup) and 1997 (third-round loss). Notre Dame’s overall record in NIT play stands at 18-6.
This marks the third time in nine years the Irish have played three early-round NIT games at home at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame also did that in 1992 (the Irish defeated Western Michigan, Kansas State and Manhattan at home, Utah in the semifinals, then lost to Virginia in overtime in the championship game) and 1997 (the Irish defeated Oral Roberts and TCU in the first two rounds, then lost to eventual champion Michigan in the third round).
The Irish stand 8-1 overall at the Joyce Center in NIT play — also including a first-round win over Old Dominion in 1984 (when Notre Dame advanced to the championship game before losing to Michigan).
Tickets for Notre Dame’s third-round NIT matchup with BYU are now on sale. Tickets prices are $18 (loge), $15 (lower arena), $8 (bleacher) and $4 (Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students with identification).
Tickets are available both at the Joyce Center Gate 10 ticket office and the second-floor ticket windows inside Gate 1 — and by phone by calling 219-631-7356. Ticket-sale hours are 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. EST Tuesday and from 9:00 a.m. through the game on Wednesday.
The winner of the Notre Dame-BYU contest plays the Kent-Penn State third-round winner in a semifinal contest at either 7:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. EST, Tuesday, March 28, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The third-place game is played at 4:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 30, followed by the NIT championship game at 7:00 p.m.