March 7, 1999

Providence, R.I. - The Providence College Friars (16-13) will open the 1999 NIT Tournament on Wednesday, March 7th when they travel to Raleigh, North Carolina to face the North Carolina State Wolfpack (18-13). This will be the second time in the two school's basketball histories that they have met in the NIT. The two teams met in the 1975 tournament's consolation game with North Carolina State taking a 74-69 win for third place.

The two teams met this season on November 24th with Providence winning, 80-69. Jamel Thomas and Sean Connolly led the way for Providence with 18 and 17 points respectively. The Friars forced NC State into 28 turnovers in the game. Providence trails in the all-time series, 2-1.

This is the Friars' 15th trip to the NIT and the first since the 1995-96 season. That year, the Friars defeated Fairfield before losing to St. Joseph's (PA) in the second round. Providence owns a 28-15 (.651) record in the NIT dating back to its first appearance in 1959. PC has won the NIT twice (1961 and 1963), finished second twice (1960 and 1975) and finished fourth three times (1959, 1976 and 1993).