Army West Point Men’s Basketball Learns CBI Tournament Opponent

The Army West Point Black Knights men’s basketball team is heading to the College Basketball Invitational next week.

Army's Jalen Rucker drives around Fairleigh Dickinson University's Dylan Jones during the game on November 20, 2024. / Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Army West Point Black Knights men’s basketball team learned its first-round opponent in the College Basketball Invitational on Sunday.

The Black Knights (16-15), who accepted the invitation to the CBI earlier this week after they were eliminated from the Patriot League Tournament, will face the Elon Phoenix in the first round at 2 p.m. eastern on March 23 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The 12-team tournament features four first-round games, with four teams receiving first-round byes.

The Phoenix (17-15) fell in the first round of the CAA tournament.

There is one matchup on March 22, which features Illinois State against Presbyterian. The other first-round games on March 23 include Manhattan against Incarnate Word and Queens against Northern Arizona.

If the Black Knights win their first-round game, they would advance to the quarterfinals and face FGCU on March 24 at 2 p.m.

While the Black Knights fell short of reaching the NCAA Tournament, this will be their 11th postseason tournament appearance in program history, with eight appearances in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), one appearance in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) and two appearances in the CBI.

Army last played in the CBI in 2021.

Two Black Knights also finished the regular season with Patriot League All-League Honors. Jalen Rucker was named to the Patriot League All-League First Team, and Josh Scovens was named to the Patriot League All-League Second Team.

The Black Knights were the only team in the Patriot League to earn a win over a Group of Five school in the 2024-25 season. They earned a 78-75 win over the UTSA Roadrunners (American Conference) on Dec. 29 to close out non-league play.

CBI 2025 Tournament Schedule

All games at Daytona Beach, Fla.; all times central; first-round and quarterfinals on FloSports.

First Round

March 22

Illinois State vs. Presbyterian, 2 p.m.

March 23

Manhattan vs. Elon, noon

Elon vs. Army West Point, 2 p.m.

Queens vs. Northern Arizona, 4 p.m.

Quarterfinals

March 24

Illinois State-Presbyterian winner vs. Manhattan-Elon winner, noon

Elon-Army West Point winner vs. FGCU, 2 p.m.

Queens-Northern Arizona winner vs. UC Riverside, 4:30 p.m.

Jacksonville vs. Cleveland State, 6:30 p.m.

Semifinals

March 25

Noon quarterfinal winner vs. 2 p.m. quarterfinal winner, 7 p.m., ESPNU

4:30 p.m. quarterfinal winner vs. 6:30 p.m. quarterfinal winner, 9 p.m., ESPNU

Championship

March 26

Semifinal winners, 5 p.m., ESPN2