UVa. basketball misses NCAA, earns #1 seed in NIT

No. 1 seed Virginia (21-11) will host No. 8 seed Norfolk State (21-11) in the National Invitation Tournament on Tuesday, March 19. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for 9 p.m.

The Virginia-Norfolk State game will be televised on ESPNU and broadcast on the Virginia Sports Radio Network.

The winner will advance to the second round against the winner of St. John’s and Saint Joseph’s. Second round games are scheduled for March 21-25.

Virginia is making its 13th NIT appearance and first under fourth-year head coach Tony Bennett. The Cavaliers claimed NIT championships in 1980 and 1992 and are appearing in the tournament for the first time since 2006. Virginia is 15-10 all-time in the NIT.

Tickets for Virginia’s first round NIT game are on sale online at VirginiaSports.com. Reserved tickets are $10 each. Seating in sections 112-114 will be reserved for purchase by Virginia Athletics Foundation donors until Monday, March 18 at 5 p.m. Remaining unsold seats in these sections will be available for purchase to the public after 5 p.m. on Monday, March 18.

Fans may also purchase tickets through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office by telephone and in person. The ticket office is located in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821).

Parking will be free of charge and available on a first-come, first served basis in the John Paul Jones Arena, University Hall and McCue Center parking lots and the Emmet/Ivy Parking Garage. The John Paul Jones Arena Garage will be reserved for permit holders. The University Hall and John Paul Jones Arena parking lots are also available for baseball fans attending Tuesday’s game against Yale that starts at 5 p.m.

Should Virginia advance in the NIT and host a second and/or third round game, tickets will be sold for $10 each and available for purchase shortly after the second round opponent is determined.

UVa students may request tickets for the NIT first round home game at John Paul Jones Arena online at UVAShots.com. The online request period is underway and will run until 9 a.m. on Monday, March 18. Students awarded a ticket will need to enter the SHOTS system and claim their ticket. There is not a ticket charge for UVa students to attend NIT home games at John Paul Jones Arena.

Tickets will not be available for sale through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office for away games in the NIT.