June 24, 2016 Bracket 
RENO, Nev. - The University of Nevada men's basketball team will compete in the GCI Great Alaska Shootout Nov. 23-26 at Alaska Airlines Arena in Anchorage. The field includes three teams that earned spots in the 2016 NCAA Championships and two others that played in postseason tournaments. The Wolf Pack last played in the tournament in 1990 and went 0-3.
"Our team is excited about the playing in the Great Alaskan shootout as it has great history," Nevada head coach Eric Musselman said. "None of our current players and most of the staff have not visited Alaska. They are looking forward to spending our Thanksgiving competing in Anchorage at a premier event."
The eight-team field includes Buffalo, Oakland, UC Davis, Weber State, Drake, Iona, the hosts Alaska Anchorage along with the Wolf Pack. Buffalo, Weber State and Iona competed in the NCAA Championships. Oakland played in the inaugural Las Vegas 16 while the Pack won the CBI Championship posting a 24-14 record.
Three of the teams ended last season with an RPI in top 100 while two others ranked in the top 115. Six of the teams won 20 or more games.
All four first round games will air on CBS Sports Network. Both semifinal games and the championship will also be shown on CBSSN. Times for the games will be announced at a later date.
Nevada posted a 24-14 record last season under first-year head coach Eric Musselman. The Wolf Pack closed out the year with a season-high five-game win streak to capture the CBI Championship. It was the schools and Mountain West's first postseason championship.
The Pack will host Iona on Nov. 20 prior to traveling to Anchorage to begin bracket play. Iona made its 11th trip and third in the last five seasons to the NCAA tournament after winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament title last season. The Gaels lost 94-81 to Iowa State in the NCAA tournament to finish 22-11 overall and end the season with an RPI of 85. They finished second in the MAAC with a 16-4 record.
Nevada's first game in Anchorage is against Oakland on Wednesday, Nov. 23. The Golden Grizzlies finished last season 23-12 and went 13-5 in the Horizon League to tie for second. Competing in the Vegas 16 postseason tournament, the Grizzlies reached the title game but fell 68-67 to Old Dominion. Oakland's final RPI was 105. It will be the first meeting between the two schools.
The Pack will play either Buffalo or Alaska Anchorage on Friday, Nov. 25. Buffalo won the Mid-American Conference tournament to earn a spot in the NCAA Championship. The Bulls fell 79-72 to Miami to end the season 20-15. UB's final RPI was 91.
Alaska Anchorage is NCAA II team that competes in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The Seawolves tied for third in the GNAC with a 14-6 record and overall they went 21-11.
UC Davis, Weber State, Drake and Iona comprise the other half of the tournament bracket. UCD plays WSU on Thursday and Drake takes Iona.
Weber State went 26-9 overall, won the Big Sky regular season with 15-3 record and captured the conference tournament to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Wildcats lost 71-53 to Xavier and ended the year with an RPI of 113.
UC Davis went 11-19 last season and placed fifth in the Big West with a 6-10 record. Drake was 7-24 overall and 2-16 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Nevada defeated the Bulldogs 79-71 in Reno last season as part of the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge.
The Shootout is the oldest continuously running in-season college basketball tournament in the nation. Of the last 20 Great Alaska Shootout champions, 13 have played in the NCAA Championships, five appeared in the NIT and just two did not advance to postseason.
Kentucky claimed the title in 1996 and went on to finish as the NCAA Championship runner-up. North Carolina (1997) and Syracuse (2000) reached the Final Four after winning the Shootout. Cincinnati (1998), Kansas (1999), Butler (2007) St. John's (2010), Murray State (2011), Harvard (2013) and Middle Tennessee (2015) went on to reach the NCAA round of 32 after capturing the title. Marquette earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament after twice winning the Shootout in 2001 and 2005.
Great Alaska Shootout winners since 2000 include Syracuse, Marquette, Purdue, Washington, California, San Diego State, Butler, St. John's. Last year Middle Tennessee won Great Alaska and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament.
There's been great individual talent that has played in past Great Alaskan Shootouts. Some of the past MVP's were Ray Allen-UConn, Antwan Jamison-UNC, Dwayne Wade-Marquette and Klay Thompson-Washington State.
-- @NevadaWolfPack --
