20-loss Liberty opens vs North Carolina A&T

Mar. 17, 2013 @ 06:42 PM

JOE KAY,AP Sports Writer

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) —

Only the second 20-loss team in NCAA tournament history gets to start the First Four in Dayton.

Liberty will face North Carolina A&T on Tuesday night hoping for a notable win. The Flames went 15-20 but won the Big South's tournament and automatic bid. The only other 20-loss team to make the NCAA tournament field was Coppin State in 2008. Those Eagles lost their opening game in Dayton.

North Carolina A&T won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's berth with a 19-16 mark. The winner of the opening game against Liberty will play Louisville, the tournament's overall No. 1 seed, on Thursday.

The tournament opens with a pair of games on Tuesday and two more on Wednesday in Dayton.