Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra Men's Basketball team will face North Carolina State in the first round of the 2019 National Invitation Tournament, it was announced by the NIT Selection Committee on ESPNU this evening. 

The game will be on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. and will be televised nationally by ESPN2. The game will be played at the James T. Valvano Arena at Reynolds Coliseum.

Hofstra will be making its 13th postseason appearance in the program's NCAA Division I history (since 1966-67) and the sixth NIT appearance. This is the Pride's first NIT appearance since facing George Washington in the 2016 NIT. 

Hofstra is 27-7 this season and most recently dropped a hard-fought 82-74 decision to Northeastern in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship Game. Hofstra's 27 victories are a school record, breaking the previous mark of 26 by the 1951-52, 2000-01 and 2005-06 squads. The Pride earned its NIT berth by virtue of its regular season CAA title. Hofstra went 15-3 in the CAA during the regular season, winning its first outright regular season conference crown since the 2000-01 season in the America East Conference. 

North Carolina State is 22-11 and most recently dropped a 76-56 decision to Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference quarterfinals. The teams have one common opponent this season as both defeated Mount St. Mary's. 

Hofstra is 0-2 all-time against North Carolina State, falling on the road in 1983-84 and most recently dropping a 76-64 decision to the Wolfpack in 2014-15.