With the hype on Selection Sunday devoted to the NCAA Tournament, the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is all but nearly lost in the shuffle.

Let’s not forget those teams like Mississippi State who just lost a bid thanks to DeMarcus Cousins, or Illinois, who had quality wins against Michigan State, Vanderbilt, Clemson, and two over Wisconsin. They fell out of the bubble on Selection Sunday, and they ended up here:

 

THE NIT BRACKETS:

Bracket One:

(1) Illinois vs. (8) Stony Brook, Wednesday, 9 PM
(4) Kent St. vs. (5) Tulsa Wednesday, 7 PM
(3) Dayton vs. (6) Illinois St., Wednesday, 7 PM
(2) Cincinnati vs. (7) Weber St., Wednesday, 7 PM

Bracket Two:

(1) Arizona St. vs. (8) Jacksonville, Tuesday, 11 PM
(4) Seton Hall vs. (5) Texas Tech, Tuesday, 9 PM
(3) Memphis vs. (6) St. John’s, Wednesday, 9 PM
(2) Ole Miss vs. (7) Troy, Wednesday, 8 PM

Bracket Three:

(1) Virginia Tech vs. (8) Quinnipiac, Wednesday, 7 PM
(4) Connecticut vs. (5) Northeastern, Tuesday, 7 PM
(3) Wichita St. vs. (6) Nevada, Wednesday, 8PM
(2) Rhode Island vs. (7) Northwestern, Wednesday, 7 PM

Bracket Four:

(1) Mississippi St. vs. (8) Jackson St., Tuesday, 10 PM
(4) North Carolina vs. (5) William & Mary, Tuesday, 9:30 PM
(3) South Florida vs. (6) NC State, Tuesday, 8 PM
(2) UAB vs. (7) Coastal Carolina, Tuesday, 8 PM

 

What is the NIT and Who Plays in it?

Schools like UConn and North Carolina, who had fielded teams talented enough to land themselves in the NCAA Final Four only last year, were left peering at the NCAA Tournament from outside on Sunday evening. Neither team could recover from losing key players to graduation or the NBA but they still performed at such a level that still needs recognition.

Remember those other bubble teams that just didn't make it in: Arizona St., Virginia Tech and the afore mentioned Illinois and Mississippi State? As you can see, they’re all here, seeded as No. 1’s in their respective regions.

Perhaps the college basketball field as a whole is stronger, perhaps it is because a number of these traditional powerhouses simply had a seriously unlucky season. Regardless of the reason, there are plenty of recognizable, watchable teams in this year’s NIT.

That fact gives this year’s NIT Basketball tournament a host of extremely competitive teams who are all vying for the opportunity to prove that they in fact do belong in the NCAA Tournament. Although there is much discussion about expanding the NCAA Tournament and collapsing the NIT, that is not the case this year, in order to prove they are big-tournament caliber the teams who want it, just need to go and blow out their competition.

Finally, a few more facts about the Tournament:

 - Tournament begins Tuesday March 16, 2010 at the higher seeds home court (all times EST).

- The quarterfinals (Tuesday, March 23rd) will be played in Madison Square Garden.

 

Big Bold Prediction:

Final Four: Cincinnati, Arizona State, Rhode Island and Mississippi State

 

Click Here for the NCAA Tournament Brackets.

 

Joshua Worn is the author of the blog, Two On, One Out, as well as a Syndicated Writer and Feature Columnist at The Bleacher Report. If you have comments or questions, you can reach him at his private e-mail address thebaseballglutton@comcast.net.