By Staff
Both the Notre Dame women's and men's basketball teams will open the 2004 postseason on their home floor at the Joyce Center.
Notre Dame's women's basketball team (19-10), seeded fifth in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament, takes on 12th-seeded Southwest Missouri State Sunday in a first-round game at the Joyce Center, based on NCAA pairings released Sunday night.
If the Irish win that one, they would move on to play Tuesday night in the second round and face the winner of the North Carolina-Middle Tennessee game from the first round. ESPN will televise every game of the NCAA women's tournament.
The Irish men (17-12), headed for the National Invitation Tournament for the first time since 2000, face Purdue (17-13) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in a first-round game at the Joyce Center. The game will be televised by ESPN2. It's the first meeting between the Irish and Boilermakers since 1966.
Times for the women's games are yet to be announced.
This marks the 11th NCAA appearance (19-9 record) for the Notre Dame women, all of them under current head coach Muffet McGraw – and all of them within a 13-year period. The Irish are making their ninth consecutive NCAA trip.
Notre Dame's men are making their eighth NIT appearance, after previously playing in that event in 1968, '73, '83, '84, '92, '97 and 2000. The Irish are 20-7 overall in NIT play, including a 9-1 mark at the Joyce Center. The only team to defeat the Irish at the Joyce Center is Michigan, a 67-66 third-round winner in '97. Notre Dame finished third in the NIT in '68 and second in '73, '84, '92 and 2000.
Tickets for the Notre Dame-Purdue first-round NIT matchup are $25 (loge), $20 (lower arena), $11 (bleacher) and $4 (Notre Dame students). Tickets go on sale Tuesday to the general public. Sales begin at 9 a.m. at the Joyce Center ticket windows (second floor, enter Gate 1) and by phone by calling (219) 631-7356.
Ticket packages for the NCAA women's games at the Joyce Center continue on sale to the general public at the Joyce Center ticket windows and by phone. Ticket packages are $15 for adults and $10 for youths. Single-session tickets go on sale Monday for the first time, at $10 for adults and $6 for youths. Approximately 3,500 all-session tickets already have been sold.