NIT Bracket 2012: Drexel and Washington on Collision Course for NIT Championship

Perhaps no two teams entered the NIT with more to prove than Drexel and Washington. And with each reaching the quarterfinals on opposite ends of the bracket, a potential meeting in the NIT championship is a distinct possibility.

Each squad had a legitimate gripe with the NCAA Selection Committee after being snubbed when the NCAA tournament bracket was announced.

Drexel was 27-5 on the season, won 25 of its last 27 games, won the regular season CAA title by going 16-2 in-conference and lost in the conference tournament championship game by three points to VCU.

In a league that often gets two tournament bids, it was a bit surprising to see Drexel get snubbed. A weak out-of-conference schedule did them in.

And then there was Washington, which won the regular season Pac-12 title with a 14-4 in-conference record and finished 21-10 overall. A one-and-done in the Pac-12 conference tournament didn't help the Huskies' cause, and they became the first regular season champion from a power-six conference to be left out of the tournament.

And now, these two snubs find themselves in the NIT quarterfinals and perhaps on a collision course.

Washington has a tough test in quarterfinal play against an Oregon team they split two regular season meetings with this year. Oh, and the Ducks have scored a combined 204 points in their two NIT wins.

Washington can light the lamp as well. Get ready for a shootout, though one I expect the Huskies to win before taking down the victor of the Middle Tennessee State versus Minnesota quarterfinal.

Look for the three-headed scoring monster of Terrence Ross (16.0 PPG), Tony Wroten (16.0 PPG) and C.J. Wilcox (14.2 PPG) to lead Washington's NIT charge.

Drexel has a tough road as well, with a game against a tough UMass squad and either Nevada or Stanford waiting in the wings. But with a balanced offense and a lot to prove, I wouldn't want to stand in the way of the Dragons right now.

So yes, I believe the NIT final will be a battle of the snubs. Making the championship game would certainly prove that each was worthy of inclusion into the NCAA tournament.

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