PAIRINGS and brackets for 2001 Preseason NIT set

NEW YORK (AP) _ Michigan State, a Final Four participant the last three seasons, will play host to Detroit in the opening round of the Preseason NIT. <br><br>In the other pairings for the 16-team tournament

Wednesday, June 27th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ Michigan State, a Final Four participant the last three seasons, will play host to Detroit in the opening round of the Preseason NIT.

In the other pairings for the 16-team tournament announced Wednesday, it will be Maine at Arkansas; North Carolina-Wilmington at Wake Forest; Wyoming at Southern California; Montana State at Fresno State; Manhattan at Syracuse; Fordham at DePaul; and Central Connecticut at Oklahoma.

Half of the first-round games _ Maine-Arkansas, North Carolina-Wilmington-Wake Forest, Manhattan-Syracuse and Fordham-DePaul _ will be played Nov. 12, the rest on Nov. 13.

The second-round games will be played from Nov. 14-16, with those dates and sites announced at the conclusion of the first round.

The semifinals and finals will be held at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 21 and 23.

Syracuse, which won the Preseason NIT in 1986, is the only former champion in the field.

Duke, which went on to win the national championship, beat Temple 63-61 in last year's Preseason NIT title game.