Men’s basketball (21-12, 9-9 MAC) accepted an invitation to play in the inaugural Vegas 16 Tournament from March 28-30 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

It is the fourth time in school history the Huskies have reached the postseason and the first time in the last 20 seasons. The Huskies participated in the NCAA Tournament in 1982, ’91 and ’96.

NIU will face the University of California, Santa Barbara at 4:30 p.m. March 28 in the Vegas 16 quarterfinals. The game will be broadcasted on CBS Sports Network.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to participate in postseason play and be a part of the first Vegas 16 Tournament,” said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery, according to an NIU Athletics news release. “This tournament is a great reward for our student-athletes after a successful 20-plus win season and we are looking forward to playing in a very good field on a neutral site.”

The tournament features eight teams in a single-elimination format. The event starts with the quarterfinals March 28 and will continue with the semifinals on March 29. The final will be held March 30. All games will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

“Our men’s basketball program has enjoyed its most successful season in 20 years, also the last time they qualified for postseason play,” said Athletic Director Sean Frazier. “It is only fitting that the season continues at an outstanding new single-site postseason event that is extremely attractive based on being in a destination city like Las Vegas. I’m looking forward to seeing this team continue to compete while providing our student-athletes with a first-class experience.”

Tickets for the Vegas 16 can be purchased at Vegas16.com and the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office.