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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Vanderbilt hopes to avoid its third straight loss in the National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday when it hosts Houston in an opening-round matchup at Memorial Gym. This will be Vanderbilts ninth appearance in the NIT and the first since losing to Wake Forest in the first round in 2000. The Commodores have had tremendous success in the NIT, posting a 15-7 all-time record. Vanderbilt won the 1990 NIT championship and made it to the title game in 1994 where it lost to Villanova. It came close to making it to the events final four in 1998, but fell in the third round to Georgia. The Commodores (16-14) lost in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, 69-62, to Louisiana State on Thursday. Senior Chuck Moore scored 21 points and Matt Freije had 18. Freije is averaging 18.3 points over his last four games and a team-leading 15.1 for the season. Vanderbilt finished last in the SEC East Division has lost its last two contests. Houston (18-14) makes its first postseason tournament appearance since playing in the 1993 NIT after finishing second in the National Division of Conference USA. The Cougars, who reached the semifinals of the conference tournament, are enjoying their best season in nearly a decade winning 18 games for the first time since 1992-93. They have played in the NIT seven times overall and their best finish was in 1977 when they advanced to the championship game. Houston is led by Dominic Smith, who averages 15.3 points, and Louis Truscott contributes 13.4 points and 9.2 rebounds. The Cougars and Commodores have met one time previously on December 29, 1986, when Houston posted a 73-72 win at the Sugar Bowl Tournament in New Orleans. The winner of this game will meet Louisiana-Lafayette or Louisiana Tech in the first round. |
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