NIT Tournament 2024: Bracket, Schedule and Men's Semifinals Predictions
A pair of No. 1 seeds reached the NIT semifinals for the first time since 2021.
The Indiana State Sycamores and Seton Hall Pirates controlled their first three matchups in the tournament to reach the final four at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Indiana State, the mid-major darling of the men's college basketball season, is looking to become the third mid-major NIT champion in the last four years.
Seton Hall is aiming to become the second Big East NIT champion in three years.
The Utah Utes and Georgia Bulldogs stand in the way of Indiana State and Seton Hall from matching up in the final.
Utah used its home-court advantage to pick up three wins and set up the matchup with Indiana State.
Georgia is the only one of the four NIT semifinalists to win on the road in any of the opening rounds. The Bulldogs face Seton Hall in Tuesday's second semifinal.
Utah vs. Indiana State
1 of 2
Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Indiana State enters Hinkle Fieldhouse with the top-rated two-point offense and 11th-best three-point offense, according to KenPom.
The Sycamores produced two 80-plus-point performances and scored at least 76 points in all of their NIT games to date.
Indiana State typically plays with incredible balance between Robbie Avila down low and a handful of crafty guards on the perimeter.
The Sycamores get a majority of their scoring from the starting lineup. They had 12 bench points in the last two games.
Utah has the potential to slow down the inside aspect of the Indiana State offense through Branden Carlson, who had seven blocks in the first two rounds.
However, the Utes may not be able to match ISU's overall production in what will feel like a road game with a large amount of Sycamore fans likely travelling from within the state to Indianapolis.
Utah went 1-9 on the road in Pac-12 play and 2-3 on a neutral court this season. The Utes won all three of their NIT games at home with altitude on their side in Salt Lake City.
Indiana State's well-rounded starting five and Utah's poor form away from home could be the perfect concoction for the Sycamores to move one win away from the NIT final.
Prediction: Indiana State over Utah
Georgia vs. Seton Hall
2 of 2
Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Seton Hall certainly does not have Indiana State's home-state advantage, but it does hold an edge of playing inside Hinkle Fieldhouse once a year in Big East play.
It's a small advantage in the matchup with Georgia, but that might help the Pirates settle into the neutral-court setting faster.
The Pirates' other key advantage comes at the free-throw line. They rank 18th in free-throw shooting on KenPom, while Georgia is 183rd. That could be a difference-maker if the contest remains close.
Shaheen Holloway's team also played more consistent basketball down the stretch run of the season. The Pirates went 7-4 from January 30 to the Big East tournament. Georgia went 3-11 in the same span.
Georgia's shooting carried it past the Xavier Musketeers, Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Ohio State Buckeyes, but that could come to a screeching halt against a Seton Hall defense that gave up 58 and 68 points in its last two wins.
The Pirates can dictate the game with their defensive play,, but if it becomes a high-scoring affair, UGA has an opportunity to take over.
Prediction: Seton Hall over Georgia
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