Cougars will host CBE Classic

COUGARS

FROM LOS ANGELES — Some future basketball news for you — Washington State was announced Tuesday as a host team for the 2012 CBE Classic, which will take place in November. More details below.

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Here's part of the official release from the school:

PULLMAN, Wash. - The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced today that the Washington State men's basketball team has been named one of four host teams of the 2012 College Basketball Experience (CBE) Classic.

Washington State, along with fellow host teams Kansas, Saint Louis, and Texas A&M, will meet at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., for the Championship Rounds of the CBE Classic the week of Nov. 19, 2012. The two-day event will feature four games between the schools with semifinal matchups held Monday Nov. 19, followed by the Consolation and Championship Games Tuesday, Nov. 20.

Three of the four teams scheduled to play in the 2012 CBE Classic reached the postseason in 2011. Kansas participated in its 21st-consecutive NCAA Championships, Texas A&M participated in its sixth-consecutive NCAA Championships and Washington State appeared in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

The University of Missouri of the Big-12 won the 2011 CBE Classic, ranked No. 21 at the time, after defeating then No. 18 California, 92-53, in the Championship Game.

The Cougars hold an overall record of 78-76 in regular-season tournaments, while holding a 15-6 record in their previous seven regular-season tournaments. WSU has reached the championship game in six of the last seven tournaments and has won three of those six.

The complete bracket for the 2012 CBE Classic, including matchups, game times and television information for the tournament will be announced at a later date.

Tickets for the Championship Round games at Sprint Center went on sale today at 1:00 PM CST and may be purchased through www.axs.com, www.sprintcenter.com, or www.cbeclassic.com, by phone at 1-888-929-7849, or in person at Sprint Center Box Office.

This tournament is a bit odd in that the “championship” round is pre-determined. The prior rounds — the ones that will be played at the sites of the host schools — take place Nov. 9-15. As noted in the release, the complete bracket will be announced at a later date.

Christian Caple can be reached at christianc@spokesman.com. Twitter: @ChristianCaple