NIT Tournament 2016: Bracket, Schedule and Monday Predictions

Maybe some don't want to admit it, or just can't, but the NIT has everything the Big Dance does this year.

Thank the growing parity of college basketball. Stephen F. Austin's run in the bigger bracket was fun, right? Valparaiso and Monmouth are just a few of the teams in the NIT who could have done similar damage had they not been left out for teams like Michigan, who went one-and-done not counting the play-in round.

Heck, there are also teams like Florida, which downed Ohio State in a high-profile affair. There has already been a No. 1 seed sent home, too.

Again, everything the Big Dance has, NIT does as well. Here's everything to know going into Monday's loaded slate.

NIT Bracket and Schedule 

Date	Time (ET)	TV	Matchup (Round 2)
Date	Time (ET)	TV	Matchup (Quarterfinals)
March 21	7 p.m.	ESPN	George Washington at Monmouth
March 21	9 p.m.	ESPN	Georgia Tech at South Carolina
March 21	11:30 p.m.	ESPN 2	Washington at San Diego State
March 22	7 p.m.	ESPN	No. 1 Valparaiso vs. 2 St. Mary's
March 22	9 p.m.	ESPN	No. 2 BYU vs. No. 4 Creighton
March 23	7 p.m.	ESPN2	No. 2 Florida vs. TBA
March 23	9 p.m.	ESPN2	TBA vs. TBA

Updated bracket can be found here, courtesy of NCAA.com. Full schedule and broadcast information are courtesy of NESN.com.

Monday Predictions

George Washington at Monmouth

Mike Groll/Associated Press

Monmouth wants to win the NIT in the worst way.

The selection committee decided the Hawks just weren't good enough despite the team sitting 55th in RPI with a 6-4 mark against the RPI Top 100, which isn't bad for a program that can hardly get a better schedule even if it wanted to while playing out of the MAAC.

Alas, winning 27 games and sitting pretty in RPI didn't matter. George Washington didn't put up as much of a fight, landing 65th in RPI, but should still make for an interesting opponent here considering the Colonials sit 51st in adjusted offensive efficiency at KenPom.com.

That said, the Colonials struggled in the first round, getting past No. 5 Hofstra by two points. Monmouth kept the trail rolling, smacking round No. 8 Bucknell by 10 points.

Monmouth has simply looked better all season and it's a trend continuing into the postseason. The Hawks get 19.6 points per game from Justin Robinson, and the offense matches George Washington by shooting about 37 percent from deep but averages five more points per game.

The capper? Monmouth has the perfect counter to what seems like an efficient Colonials offense, ranking 57th in adjusted defensive efficiency.

This one will have plenty of scoring, but it's Monmouth's mission to prove the committee wrong that will have the biggest influence on the outcome.

Prediction: Monmouth 79, George Washington 70

Georgia Tech at South Carolina

Richard Shiro/Associated Press

Georgia Tech and South Carolina meet Monday as representatives of the bigger conferences.

The Yellow Jackets couldn't hack a 25th-ranked strength of schedule, landing 67th in RPI with a 3-8 mark against the RPI Top 50 and failing to reach a .500 mark against the Top 150. South Carolina didn't have it nearly as difficult, facing a 159th strength of schedule and going 8-5 against the RPI Top 100.

Call this another chess match, though, regardless of how the teams fared against varying schedules. South Carolina has a lockdown defense, ranking 24th in adjusted efficiency. On the offensive efficiency side, Georgia Tech ranks 49th.

Between the two, nine starters average double digits. It showed, too, when South Carolina walloped eighth-seeded High Point in 88-66 fashion and Georgia Tech took care of business against fifth-seeded Houston, 81-62.

In such an encounter, it's usually the team with a proven habit of quality defense against all comers that can pull ahead. Georgia Tech might get 16.7 points per game from Marcus Georges-Hunt, but South Carolina averages more points and rebounds to go alongside the impressive defensive ranks.

In another high-scoring affair, the Gamecocks' defense will make a few key plays late to advance.

Prediction: South Carolina 83, Georgia Tech 80

Washington at San Diego State

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Unfortunately, one of Monday's games looks to have the most obvious outcome of any in the bracket so far. 

Anything can happen, and that's why they play the game and so on and so forth, but Washington upending San Diego State just doesn't seem in the cards.

The tale of the tape says it all. RPI? San Diego State finished 42nd, Washington 83rd. Respective strengths? Washington sits 69th in adjusted defensive efficiency, San Diego State second. First-round results? San Diego State blew away IPFW, 79-55, while Washington struggled to a 107-102 victory against Long Beach State.

The Huskies aren't going for 100 points against one of the best defenses in the nation. Andrew Andrews, he of 21.1 points per game, is an incredible player, but he's not overcoming a team that probably should have gone to the Big Dance on his own.

Washington coach Lorenzo Romar spoke openly about what makes the Aztecs such a formidable opponent, via Percy Allen of the Seattle Times : "You have to box out, because those guys are relentless on the boards. Their starting lineup right now, the smallest guy is 6'4", then they’re 6'6", 6'8", 6'9". They’re very long, athletic and ferocious on those offensive boards."

Size and athleticism differential is one of the many reasons most picked San Diego State as a major snub. Now it's the main reason a Washington team used to imposing its will from a tempo standpoint will run into something akin to a brick wall. 

Look for the Aztecs to control this one from the tip, suffocating the Washington offense.

Prediction: San Diego State 63, Washington 55

Stats and information courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. Advanced metrics courtesy of ESPN.com and KenPom.com. Odds courtesy of Odds Shark as of Tuesday morning.