NIT 2012 Bracket: Teams with the Best Chance to Pull off an Upset

There are a few teams with a fantastic chance to pull off an upset in the NIT 2012 Bracket.

For those teams that missed the cut to make it to the NCAA tournament, the NIT offers another chance at finishing off their seasons on a high note.

These three teams will prove they are better than their regular seasons suggest, and they will upset the favorites on their way to round No. 2.

7. Valparaiso Crusaders over 2. Miami Hurricanes

After barely missing an invitation to the big dance, the Hurricanes are considered one of the favorites to win the NIT.

Unfortunately for them, Valparaiso is primed for a big upset in the first round.

The Crusaders are the top shooting team in the NIT tournament, shooting 47 percent from the field during the regular season. Ryan Broekhoff and Kevin Van Wijk are the team's top scoring threats, and they can shoot from anywhere on the floor.

Valparaiso will bomb threes all day long on the Hurricanes on its way to an upset victory.

8. Bucknell Bison over 1. Arizona Wildcats

Like Miami, Arizona just missed out on the NCAA tournament after losing to Colorado in the Pac-12 conference title game.

It is the heavy favorite to win against the Bison, but Bucknell has the right pieces to stymie the Wildcats in their tracks.

Mike Muscala and Joe Willman are two of the best and most productive big men in the country. Their presence in the middle of the court will cause the Wildcats to shoot more from the perimeter, something they struggle with.

Don't discount the Bison. You'll regret it.

6. LSU over 3. Oregon

If not for their loss in the opening round of the conference tournament to the Colorado, Oregon might have made the NCAA tournament. 

It did lose, though. 

LSU, on the other hand, is coming off a stirring performance against a vastly superior Kentucky team, and although it lost, there is a lot for it to build on for the NIT tournament.

If the Tigers hope to win over the Beavers, Justin Hamilton, Johnny O’Bryant and Storm Warren will need to carry the team. The bench isn't very deep, but these guys can get the job done as long as they stay out of foul trouble.

They need to play from the inside out, avoiding the quick shots that have doomed them in games past.

I predict that the Tigers will play a disciplined game on their way to the second round of the NIT tournament.

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