Skip to main content

Belmont, which is losing longtime coach Casey Alexander, won’t participate in NIT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Belmont, which is losing longtime coach Casey Alexander to Kansas State, won’t participate in the postseason NIT, the university announced Saturday.

The Bruins won the regular-season Missouri Valley Conference title this season before losing to Drake in the conference tournament.

Alexander, who led the Bruins to 166 wins and four conference titles in seven seasons, on Friday agreed to a five-year deal with Kansas State that will pay him $3.3 million for the upcoming season.

“In light of recent developments, Belmont University men’s basketball has elected not to participate in the Postseason NIT,” Belmont said Saturday in a statement. “We appreciate the meaningful dialogue and consideration postseason tournament committees have extended Belmont throughout the year.”

The 53-year-old Alexander is 303-180 in 15 years as a head coach, including stops at Stetson and Lipscomb before Belmont. He won at least 20 games in each of his seven seasons with Belmont.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Hawkeyes are set to play Vanderbilt in a November women’s basketball game in Sioux City, Iowa

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Vanderbilt and Iowa, both ranked in the top 10 late last season, will meet in a women's basketball game early next season in northwest Iowa, the schools announced Tuesday. The neutral-site game is set for Nov. 15 at the Tyson Events Center, which is 290 miles from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Vanderbilt is 4-0 all-time against the Hawkeyes. This will be the teams' first meeting since 1997. The Commodores are expected to return national scoring leader Mikayla Blakes. She averaged 27 points per game and was Southeastern Conference player of the year. Vanderbilt was ranked as high as No. 5 and finished No. 10 with a 29-5 record after reaching the NCAA Sweet 16.
Read Next Story