March 12, 2000

Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri Men's Basketball team has been selected to play in the 2000 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. The Tigers, 18-12, were awarded a No. 9-seed in the South Region and will face the No. 8-seed North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday, March 18 in Birmingham, Ala. Game time will be determined on Monday.

It is the second consecutive season that MU has been selected for the "Big Dance" and the school's 18th NCAA Tournament appearance all-time. The first-round match up will mark the first meeting of the two schools since 1989 when Missouri defeated North Carolina, 80-73 as part of the 1989 Big Apple Preseason NIT at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The all-time series record between the two programs is tied at four wins apiece.

A limited number of tickets are available for MU students and Tiger Scholarships Fund donors. Students may order tickets at the Hearnes Center box office beginning at 8am Monday. TSF donors may order via phone by calling (573) 882-0704.