Chicago Invitational Challenge

The Chicago Invitational Challenge was a Division I college basketball tournament that took place during Thanksgiving week. The opening two rounds were played on campus sites, with the semifinal and final rounds played at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois (with the exception of 2009 when they were played at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois). The pre-season tournament was owned and operated by Basketball Tournaments, Inc. The first challenge was held in 2006 with the last being staged in 2011.

Chicago Invitational Challenge

Sport	College Basketball
Founded	2005
Inaugural season	2006
Ceased	2012
No. of teams	8
Country	United States
Venue(s)	Opening Rounds Campus Venues Semifinal & Final Rounds Sears Centre Arena Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Last champion(s)	Wisconsin Badgers
TV partner(s)	regional networks
Sponsor(s)	Basketball Tournaments, Inc.
Official website

The first event was won by the Illinois Fighting Illini, defeating the Bradley Braves 75–71 in the championship game.[1][2]

The Xavier Musketeers were the champions of the second offering, winning the final game 80–65 over the eighth ranked Indiana Hoosiers.[3][4]

The third event was held in a non-bracket format, with game schedules set prior to the tournament. The Dayton Flyers took the crown by virtue of being the only squad the swept their schedule.

The fourth event was won by the Northwestern Wildcats, holding off the Iowa State Cyclones 67–65 in the final game.[5][6]

The Richmond Spiders were crowned champions of the fifth offering, as they bested the tenth ranked Purdue Boilermakers 65–54 in the final.[7][8]

The eleventh ranked Wisconsin Badgers won the final offering with a 73–56 victory over the Brigham Young Cougars in the championship game.[9]

Inviationals

2011

• November 25–26: Sears Centre Arena

	Upper Bracket					First Place Game
	Bradley		44
	No. 11 Wisconsin		66
						No. 11 Wisconsin		73
						Brigham Young		56
	Brigham Young		76
	Nevada		55			Third Place Game
						Bradley		59
						Nevada		64

	Lower Bracket					Fifth Place Game
	Longwood		70
	Prairie View A&M		67
						Longwood		53
						Missouri-Kansas City		93
	Missouri-Kansas City		64
	Wofford		58			Seventh Place Game
						Prairie View A&M		49
						Wofford		56

• First and Second Round Games at Campus Sites

Bradley 68, Missouri-Kansas City 58
Brigham Young 92, Longwood 60
Brigham Young 90, Prairie View A&M 51
Nevada 80, Longwood 78
Nevada 60, Prairie View A&M 47
No. 11 Wisconsin 77, Missouri-Kansas City 31
No. 14 Wisconsin 69, Wofford 33
Wofford 70, Bradley 66

Note: Home team in bold.

2010

• November 26–27: Sears Centre Arena

	Upper Bracket					First Place Game
	No. 10 Purdue		79
	Southern Illinois		60
						No. 10 Purdue		54
						Richmond		65
	Richmond		71
	Wright State		61			Third Place Game
						Southern Illinois		56
						Wright State		50

	Lower Bracket					Fifth Place Game
	Austin Peay State		70
	Charleston Southern		64
						Austin Peay State		70 ^OT
						Oakland		78
	Oakland		105
	Southern		53			Seventh Place Game
						Charleston Southern		89
						Southern		54

• First and Second Round Games at Campus Sites

No. 10 Purdue 87, Austin Peay State 65
No. 14 Purdue 82, Oakland 67
Richmond 82, Charleston Southern 71
Richmond 81, Southern 40
Southern Illinois 72, Austin Peay State 65
Southern Illinois 85, Charleston Southern 67
Wright State 82, Oakland 79
Wright State 66, Southern 43

Note: Home team in bold.

2009

• November 27–28: UIC Pavilion

	Upper Bracket					First Place Game
	Iowa State		65
	Saint Louis		54
						Iowa State		65
						Northwestern		67
	Northwestern		72
	No. 23 Notre Dame		71			Third Place Game
						Saint Louis		52
						No. 23 Notre Dame		64

	Lower Bracket					Fifth Place Game
	Kennesaw State		67
	Tennessee State		73
						Tennessee State		60
						Liberty		63
	Liberty		72
	Mississippi Valley State		53			Seventh Place Game
						Kennesaw State		85
						Mississippi Valley State		68

• First and Second Round Games at Campus Sites

Iowa State 96, Mississippi Valley State 55
Iowa State 84, Tennessee State 53
Northwestern 69, Liberty 53
Northwestern 69, Tennessee State 62
Notre Dame 80, Kennesaw State 62
Notre Dame 91, Liberty 72
Saint Louis 76, Kennesaw State 66
Saint Louis 75, Mississippi Valley State 39

Note: Home team in bold.

2008

• November 28–29: Sears Centre

Upper Schedule (Match-ups preset)
Dayton 60, Auburn 59 ^OT
No. 15 Marquette 73, Northern Iowa 43
Northern Iowa 67, Auburn 61
Dayton 89, No. 15 Marquette 75

	Lower Bracket					Fifth Place Game
	Bethune-Cookman		64
	Chicago State		79
						Chicago State		77
						Mercer		88
	Mercer		71
	Texas Southern		68			Seventh Place Game
						Bethune-Cookman		68
						Texas Southern		61

• First and Second Round Games at Campus Sites

Auburn 61, Bethune-Cookman 46
Dayton 78, Bethune-Cookman 38
Dayton 71, Mercer 53
No. 15 Marquette 106, Chicago State 87
No. 15 Marquette 85, Texas Southern 68
Mercer 78, Auburn 74
Northern Iowa 81, Chicago State 70
Northern Iowa 74, Texas Southern 67

Note: Home team in bold.

2007

• November 23–24: Sears Centre

	Upper Bracket					First Place Game
	Illinois State		57
	No. 8 Indiana		70
						No. 8 Indiana		65
						Xavier		80
	Kent State		65
	Xavier		78			Third Place Game
						Illinois State		59
						Kent State		65

	Lower Bracket					Fifth Place Game
	Coppin State		102
	Southeast Missouri State		99
						Coppin State		57
						North Carolina-Wilmington		78
	Longwood		65
	North Carolina-Wilmington		80			Seventh Place Game
						Southeast Missouri State		82
						Longwood		78

• First and Second Round Games at Campus Sites

Illinois State 89, North Carolina-Wilmington 73
Illinois State 90, Southeast Missouri State 71
No. 8 Indiana 100, Longwood 49
No. 8 Indiana 95, North Carolina-Wilmington 71
Kent State 74, Coppin State 51
Kent State 80, Longwood 62
Xavier 98, Coppin State 49
Xavier 90, Southeast Missouri State 59

Note: Home team in bold.

2006

• November 24–25: Sears Centre

	Upper Bracket					First Place Game
	Bradley		101
	Rutgers		72
						Bradley		71
						Illinois		75
	Illinois		51
	Miami (Ohio)		49			Third Place Game
						Rutgers		44
						Miami (Ohio)		57

	Lower Bracket					Fifth Place Game
	Florida A&M		57
	Illinois-Chicago		75
						Illinois-Chicago		68
						Jackson State		71
	Jackson State		72
	Savannah State		71			Seventh Place Game
						Florida A&M		74
						Savannah State		65

• First and Second Round Games at Campus Sites

Bradley 107, Florida A&M 75
Bradley 81, Illinois-Chicago 72
Illinois 84, Florida A&M 63
Illinois 76, Jackson State 55
Illinois 81, Savannah State 34
Jackson State 71, Rutgers 70
Miami (Ohio) 52, Florida A&M 33
Miami (Ohio) 72, Illinois-Chicago 61

Note: Home team in bold.

References

1. "Illinois Knocks Off Bradley in Come-From-Behind Style, 75-71". bradleybraves. Retrieved 26 November 2006.
2. "Illinois Puts Together Second-Half Rally to Edge Bradley, 75-71". fightingillini. Retrieved 25 November 2006.
3. "No. 8 Indiana Falls At Chicago Invitational". iuhoosiers. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
4. "Xavier Tops No. 8 Indiana For Chicago Invitational Title". goxavier. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
5. "Cyclones Fall To Northwestern, 67-65". cyclones. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
6. "NU Claims Tournament Title with 67-65 Win Over Iowa State". nusports. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
7. "No. 10 Purdue Falls to Richmond, 65-54". purduesports. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
8. "Richmond Handles No. 8 Ranked Purdue". richmondspiders. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
9. "Chicago Champs! Badgers bury BYU to take home title". uwbadgers. Retrieved 26 November 2011.

External links

• Official website