Mercer, FGCU's 'Dunk City' team up for The Basketball Tournament
Anything's possible at The Basketball Tournament, and this summer will bring the fledgling competition's first high-profile team-up, as two popular, upset-minded mid-major squads from recent years join forces.
The Mercer team that memorably upset Duke in 2014 has merged with Florida Gulf Coast's 2013 'Dunk City' Sweet Sixteen squad, an Atlantic Sun mash-up of sorts that will form an intriguing plotline, particularly for March Madness fanatics as they look to recapture and combine past magic, with a $1 million, winner-take-all prize on the line.
Both teams have entered their starting fives: Brett Comer, Sherwood Brown, Chase Fieler, Eric McKnight and Bernard Thompson from FGCU, and Daniel Coursey, Langston Hall, Jakob Gollon, Anthony White Jr., and Bud Thomas from Mercer. Comer, Thompson, Hall and Coursey's availabilities are all pending professional commitments.
Formerly 'Dunk City,' the team encourages fans to vote on a new name by tweeting at @FGCUMercerTBT. No word on how the team plans to make substitutions yet, but we're mostly just disappointed that this guy didn't make the cut.
Alumni teams including Wisconsin, Syracuse and defending champions Notre Dame have all entered the 96-team field. Registration is still fluid and open until June 1. Keep an eye on the tournament's official website to track ongoing sign-ups and team-ups.
The Basketball Tournament, in its second year, begins in July, with regionals in Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Atlanta. The Final Four will be broadcast by ESPN on August 1st and 2nd.
