CINCINNATI --- The Xavier men’s basketball team will face Hawai’i on Friday at American Airlines Arena in Dallas in the first round of the 2002 NCAA Tournament. The Musketeers (25-5) earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament on Saturday night by downing Richmond 73-60 in Philadelphia.

Xavier is seeded seventh in the West Region. The winner of Friday’s First Round game will play either second-seeded Oklahoma or 15th-seeded Illinois-Chicago on Sunday in the Second Round.

Hawai’i earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning its second straight WAC Tournament. The Rainbow Warriors downed Tulsa 73-59 last night to win the conference title, pushing their record to 27-5 this season.

This will be the fourth-ever Tournament for Hawai’i, who is 0-3 its previous appearances. Last season, fifth-seeded Syracuse beat 12th-seeded Hawai’i, 79-69, in Dayton, Ohio.

Xavier has never played the Rainbow Warriors before. Both teams beat the University of Wisconsin this season. Hawai’i beat the Badgers 60-57 on Nov. 25 in the Big Island Classic while Xavier downed Wisconsin 57-48 at the Cintas Center on Dec. 10.

The seventh seed is Xavier’s second-highest ever and matches the seeding Xavier had when last winning an NCAA Tournament game. The Musketeers, who have twice held a six seed, downed Vanderbilt as a seven seed in 1997 before falling in the second round to UCLA at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Xavier is 6-13 all-time in 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. Last year the Musketeers, an 11 seed, lost to Notre Dame, 83-71, in the first round in Kansas City, Mo.

Xavier’s best showing in an NCAA Tournament was a run to the Sweet 16 in 1990. That year Xavier beat Kansas State and Georgetown in Indianapolis before falling to Texas in Dallas.

Xavier’s allotment for tickets for the NCAA Tournament has been reserved for students, faculty/staff, guests of the student-athletes and donors to the University. Tickets will be distributed according to the Postseason Planning materials sent to each party in late February. Donors should call the number noted at the specified time.

American Airlines Center has indicated the games are completely sold out. There will be no public sale of tickets through Xavier University.

The time for the game will be announced on Monday.