NORWOOD, Mass. -- The Missouri State Bears are back in postseason for the first time since 2006-07 as participants in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT). MSU will host Middle Tennessee at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday in the 16-team event's first round.

The Bears (20-12) are hoping to close out a renaissance season, turning last year's 11-20 campaign around in Cuonzo Martin's second year at the helm. Missouri State is 15-2 at JQH Arena this season and 11-1 against non-conference opponents, losing an overtime decision at Arkansas on Dec. 22 as its only blemish.

Middle Tennessee (19-13), out of the Sun Belt Conference, ended its season with wins in 11 of its last 14 games. Kermit Miller's Blue Raiders defeated the Bears 63-51 at JQH Arena in the finals of the Basketball Travelers Tipoff Tourney on Dec. 22, 2008 in the only previous meeting between the two schools. Middle Tennessee remains one of three Bears' opponents -- along with Northern Iowa and Utah -- that Martin has not defeated in his tenure at MSU. 

MTSU is led by senior Desmond Yates who averages 13.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.

MSU season ticket holders will have until Noon on Monday to claim their seats for the CIT and purchase additional tickets. At Noon, all remaining seats go on sale to the general public at the Chevy Pickup Window and Athletics Box Office at JQH Arena or by phone at (417) 836-7678. For complete postseason basketball policies and procedures, please CLICK HERE or see the related story on www.MissouriStateBears.com. 

Other Missouri Valley Conference teams headed to the postseason are: Northern Iowa (NCAA), Wichita State (NIT), Illinois State (NIT), Creighton (CIT), and Indiana State (CBI). The Bears were 0-2 this season against NCAA Tournament teams and 3-4 against all NIT qualifiers.

The CIT quarterfinals are scheduled for March 22, with semifinals slated for March 24, and a championship game on tap March 30. All rounds are held on campus sites. There is no bracket for the CIT, and winners of the first round will be paird geographically with the higher seed having the option to host.

The first-round matchups and seeds are as follows:

• (10) Western Carolina (22-11) at (1) Marshall (23-9) Tuesday, 6:00 p.m.
• (16) South Dakota (22-9) at (4) Creighton (16-15) Tuesday, 7:05 p.m.
• (5) Fairfield (22-10) at (13) George Mason (17-14) Tuesday, 6:00 p.m.
• (11) Pacific (20-11) at (8) Loyola Marymount (18-14) Wednesday, 9:35 p.m.
• (12) Middle Tennessee (19-13) at (3) Missouri State (20-12) Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.
• (14) Harvard (21-7) at (6) Appalachian State (22-10) Wednesday, 6:00 p.m.
• (7) Portland (21-10) at (9) Northern Colorado (24-7) Wednesday, 8:05 p.m.
• (2) Southern Miss (20-13) at (15) Louisiana Tech (23-10) Thursday, 7:00 p.m.

The CollegeInsider.com Tournament was founded in 2009 with its primary mission of creating opportunities for deserving teams that have not made the NCAA And NIT tournaments to continue playing in college basketball's postseason.  In the inaugural event last year, Old Dominion defeated Bradley, 66-62, in the championship game. Fellow MVC schools Drake and Evansville also participated in last year's tournament, both losing in the first round.

In the inaugural CIT, just three of the 16 participants enjoyed 20 regular-season wins. This season, 12 of the 16 teams enter the tournament with at least 20 victories. Old Dominion defeated Bradley in the first CIT championship game.