Men's basketball prepares for NIT opener tonight

Around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, when the National Invitational Tournament gave North Carolina a No. 4 seed and a home opener, there were two buzz words in the Tar Heel locker room: relief and surprise.

Relief that the Tar Heels’ 16-16 regular season and 10th-place finish in the ACC didn’t keep them out of the postseason altogether, and surprise that UNC will host William & Mary on tonight.

“Initially, there’s no question I was surprised,” coach Roy Williams said. “But I’ve been so frustrated, everything’s a surprise.”

How to get tickets

Go to tarheelblue.com and use Student UNC Ticket Office account. Student tickets are $5.

Williams said that after the first three brackets of the NIT selection show were released, he didn’t think UNC would make the field.

But the Tar Heels, much like other big-name programs like UConn, Virginia Tech and Arizona State, were too good for the NIT to bypass.

“We weren’t expecting it. They waited until the last bracket to show us,” senior Marcus Ginyard said, adding that he did not think UNC would make the field prior to the selection.

The game will take place in Carmichael Arena while the Smith Center undergoes scheduled renovations. Carmichael seats 8,010 and usually serves as the home of UNC’s women’s basketball team, but from 1965-1986 it was the home court for the men’s team.

The building’s history appeals to Ginyard, who gets another chance to make a more pleasant memory in a largely disappointing season.

“I’m really excited about that,” he said. “Just the history of Carmichael.”

Ginyard and Co. will want to try to cleanse the memories of UNC’s last two games, a 32-point loss at Duke in the season finale, and a loss to Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament’s first round.

“I’m just really excited for another opportunity to play,” Ginyard said. “Just hoping to finish things off better than in the regular season.”

But William & Mary is no easy test. The Tribe sports a 22-10 regular-season record and road wins against Maryland and Wake Forest. The Tribe is paced by hot shooting guards, as the team shoots .350 from beyond the arc.

Guard David Schneider (15.3 points per game) leads William & Mary, with guard/forward Quinn McDowell throwing in 13.9 points per game. The two have combined for 150 threes this season.

If the Tar Heels win, they will play the winner of No. 1 seed Mississippi State and No. 8 seed Jackson State.

The Tribe’s head coach, Tony Shaver, played for Dean Smith at North Carolina from 1972-1975, and his assistant Jonathan Holmes played at UNC from 1999-2003.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. today for $20, lowered from the original $40 price because of the late tipoff. Students could begin purchasing tickets at 10 p.m. Monday for $5 on a first-come, first-served basis.

“I know it’s 9:30 on a Tuesday, and it’s the NIT, but I hope we fill it up,” Williams said.

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.