Kentucky advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament with a 70-60 win over UNLV Tuesday night. The Wildcats face the winner of tonight's Bowling Green-Creighton game at 7 p.m. If No. 8 seed Bowling Green (Ohio) upsets Creighton, Kentucky would host the second round game, which would be March 19, 20, 21 or 23.
In other NIT games with SEC teams involved, South Carolina was defeated Tuesday by Davidson and Florida faces Jacksonville at 7 p.m., today.
The first round of the larger, NCAA tournament begins Thursday. Three clubs from Kentucky are in the 64-team field, with two of them facing each other Friday. Tip-off of Louisville-Morehead State game will be at 6:10 p.m., with all coverage of the tournament on CBS. Morehead earned the right to play Rick Pitino's overall top-seeded Cardinals by defeating Alabama State Tuesday in the "play-in" game.
In other games of interest:
- Western Kentucky University, a No. 12 seed, will face No. 5 Illinois Thursday at 8:55 p.m
- Tennessee, an SEC team, plays Oklahoma State at 11:25 a.m., Friday. Oklahoma State is coached by former UK standout and Madisonville native Travis Ford.
- LSU, the highest seeded SEC team at No. 8, plays Butler at 11:20 a.m., Thursday.
- Mississippi State, the final SEC entry in the tournament, plays Washington at 4 p.m., Thursday.
