Sub .500 Oregon State returns to CBI to defend 2009 title

NEW YORK -- Defending champion Oregon State is back in the College Basketball Invitational, despite a losing record.

Coached by Craig Robinson, the brother-in-law of President Barack Obama, the Beavers (14-17) open the tournament at home Wednesday against Boston University (19-13), which lost at Vermont in the championship game of the America East Conference tournament.

The 16-team CBI bracket was released Sunday night and is made up of schools that were left out of the NCAA tournament and the NIT. Oregon State is the only squad in the field without a winning record, but the Beavers were invited back to defend their title.

Oregon State beat UTEP two games to one in the best-of-3 championship series last year. The inaugural CBI was won by Tulsa in 2008.

The tournament begins Tuesday, with coach Rick Majerus and Saint Louis hosting Indiana State, and Virginia Commonwealth visiting George Washington.

All games are played at campus sites. The championship series runs from March 29 to April 2.