BYU Receives 23rd NCAA Invitation

Click the pdf link above to view the full bracket with game times

PROVO -- The No. 23 BYU men's basketball team has received an at-large invitation to the 2008 NCAA Tournament and will play Texas A&M of the Big 12 Conference in first-round action on Thursday in Anaheim, Calif., at the Honda Center. The game will begin at 4:25 p.m. PT (5:25 p.m. MT).

"We're very excited to be in the NCAA Tournament," said BYU head coach Dave Rose. "We're looking forward to the opportunity to play and compete, and we're excited to be able to stay close to home. We have a good fan base in Southern California so it will be a good opportunity for us."

The Cougars (27-7) are the No. 8 seed for the second straight year and are playing in the West Region. The Aggies (24-10) received a No. 9 seed. The winner of the BYU-Texas A&M game will advance to the second round to face the winner of No. 1 UCLA and No. 16 Mississippi Valley State on Saturday.

Texas A&M finished the season 24-10 and placed sixth in the Big XII with an 8-8 record. The Aggies advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament before bowing out to top-seeded Kansas. Junior guard Josh Carter paces Texas A&M with 11.9 points per game followed by senior forward Joseph Jones with 10.4 ppg. BYU has a 1-0 record all-time against the Aggies with an 83-81 victory on Dec. 28, 1972 at the All-College Tournament.

BYU won the Mountain West Conference regular-season title this year with a 14-2 record, its second straight league crown. Third-year head coach Rose has led his team to three consecutive 20-win seasons and back-to-back national rankings. This year's 27-7 mark is tied for the best 34-game record in program history. The Cougars are led by NABC and USBWA All-District selections Lee Cummard and Trent Plaisted. Cummard, the 2008 MWC Co-Player of the Year, paces BYU with 15.8 ppg on 56.9 percent shooting from the field while Plaisted adds 15.6 ppg and a team-best 7.8 rebounds per contest.

This will be BYU's 23rd NCAA Tournament appearance and fifth in the last eight years (2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008). The Cougars were also a No. 8 seed last year, losing their first round game, 79-77, to Xavier in Lexington, Ky. The Cougars have an 11-25 record in the NCAA Tournament and a 1-3 mark as a No. 8 seed (1984, 1995, 2007).

TICKETS -- COUGAR CLUB MEMBERS

Ticket requests will be taken from Legacy members until 3 p.m. MST on Monday. Tickets will be distributed based on membership level. Legacy members may request up to four tickets. Due to the limited number of tickets available, placing an order does not guarantee tickets.

First-round tickets can only be used for the BYU vs. Texas A&M and the UCLA vs. Mississippi Valley State games. Should BYU advance to the second round, first-round ticket-holders will automatically receive and be charged for second-round tickets. If the Cougars lose, BYU fans will be unable to purchase second-round tickets through BYU. Tickets will be available for pick up on-site at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., the day of the game.

Legacy members will receive an email regarding a ticket link to purchase. Legacy members may also call the Cougar Club at 801-422-BLUE for any other questions. Legacy members will be notified after 5 p.m. as to the status of their order. Ticket prices are $51 plus a $10 processing fee.

TICKETS -- STUDENTS

Student tickets will be distributed through a random drawing beginning Monday at 9 a.m. until noon. Students must visit the Marriott Center Ticket Office before noon to fill out the necessary form. They will then be notified by 5 p.m. if they have been selected and their credit card will be processed. Each student selected will have the opportunity to purchase two tickets. If selected, tickets will be available for pick up on-site at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., the day of the game with a valid BYU ID. Ticket prices are $51 plus a $10 processing fee.

For more information on tickets, visit www.byutickets.com.

ANAHEIM GAME SCHEDULES
Thursday, March 20
No. 6 Marquette vs. No. 11 Kentucky - 11:30 a.m
No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 14 Cornell -  25 minutes following
No. 8 Brigham Young vs. No. 9 Texas A&M - 4:25 p.m.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 Mississippi Valley State - 25 minutes following
Saturday, March 22
Marquette/Kentucky winner vs. Stanford/Cornell winner - 3:45 or 6:15 p.m.
UCLA/Mississippi Valley State winner vs. Brigham Young/Texas A&M winner - 3:45 or 6:15 p.m.