PHILADELPHIA - Game matchups and start times for the 2021 Myrtle Beach Invitational (MBI) were released on July 28, including matchups and official tipoff times for all 12 games. The Myrtle Beach Invitational will be held November 18, 19, and 21 at the HTC Center on the campus of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C.
 
The University of Pennsylvania, which is making its MBI debut, will open play in the eight-team tournament with Utah State on November 18 at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU. The Aggies went 20-9 last year and finished second in the Mountain West Conference, then fell to top seed San Diego State in the Mountain West Tournament final. USU then received an at-large bid into the 2021 NCAA Tournament as an 11 seed, losing 65-53 in the first round to Texas Tech. This will be the first time Penn has played Utah State in men's basketball.
 
A first-round loss to Utah State will move the Quakers into the loser's bracket, in which case they would play their second game on Friday, Nov. 19 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU. A win over Utah State, however, moves the Quakers into the winner's bracket in which case their semifinal would take place that same day at noon on ESPN2 or ESPNU.
 
What is guaranteed is Penn's second-round opponent: either Davidson or New Mexico State. Davidson went 13-9 in 2020-21 and finished third in the Atlantic 10 with a 7-4 mark, while NMSU finished 12-8 overall and went 7-6 to finish third in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) after representing the WAC in the NCAA Tournament in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Penn and Davidson have played 11 times previously, most recently during the 2011-12 season when the Wildcats hosted and defeated the Quakers, 75-70. Overall, Davidson leads the series, 6-5. Penn has never played New Mexico State in men's basketball.
 
The other half of the bracket features Oklahoma, East Carolina, Indiana State and Old Dominion. Penn will face one of those teams on Sunday, Nov. 21.
 
This will be the third Myrtle Beach Invitational. UCF captured the inaugural event in 2018, while Baylor topped Villanova for the 2019 title.

Ticket Information
Pre-sale for All-Tournament tickets are currently on sale through August 31. Regularly priced All-Tournament tickets will begin September 1 with the sale of single-session tickets starting November 1. Pre-sale ticket costs range from $105 to $135, while regular tickets costs starting September 1 will range from $130 to $145. Click here for additional ticket information.
 
TV
Owned and operated by ESPN Events, all 12 games of the 2021 Myrtle Beach Invitational will air on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPNews. They will also be available on the ESPN App.
 
2021 MYRTLE BEACH INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
Thursday, November 18
   Game 1 – Davidson vs. New Mexico State, noon., ESPNU
   Game 2 – Penn vs. Utah State, 2:30 p.m. ESPNU
   Game 3 – Oklahoma vs. East Carolina, 7 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
   Game 4 – Indiana State vs. Old Dominion, 9:30 p.m., ESPNU
Friday, November 19
   Game 5 – Davidson/NMSU winner vs. Penn/USU winner, noon, ESPN2/ESPNU
   Game 6 - Davidson/NMSU loser vs. Penn/USU loser, 2:30, ESPN2/ESPNU
   Game 7 – Oklahoma/ECU winner vs. ISU/ODU winner, 5 p.m., ESPN2
   Game 8 - Oklahoma/ECU loser vs. ISU/ODU loser, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Sunday, November 21
   Game 9 – Seventh-Place Game, 12:30 p.m., ESPNews
   Game 10 – Championship Game, 3 p.m., ESPN2
   Game 11 – Fifth-Place Game, 6/8:30 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
   Game 12 – Third-Place Game, 6/8:30 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU