NIT 2012 Bracket: Predicting Winner of Each Quarterfinal Matchup

Hidden in the NCAA Tournament's shadow, the NIT has featured several terrific games and plenty of its own drama. The field of 32 has now been shrunk to eight as teams prepare for the quarterfinals on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Let's examine each of the four matchups and predict which teams will be heading to Madison Square Garden for the semifinals. For a complete look at the bracket, visit the official NCAA web site.

Washington vs. Oregon

Tuesday's game will mark the third meeting between these Pac-12 rivals this season, with both prior games being won by the home team. Washington holds that advantage in the quarterfinals.

The Huskies have three guards who can create their own offense in Tony Wroten, Terrence Ross and C.J. Wilcox. Washington's trio has combined to average more than 42 points per game, so Oregon's defense will have its hands full once again.

Devoe Joseph and Garrett Sim give the Ducks a pretty solid guard duo of their own, and they also have more balance than the Huskies. Center Tony Woods will be the player to watch. He needs to control the paint so Washington isn't able to penetrate for easy buckets.

Predicted Winner: Oregon

Middle Tennessee vs. Minnesota

Both teams pulled off upsets in the last round as Middle Tennessee knocked off in-state powerhouse Tennessee while Minnesota defeated Miami. Only one of these Cinderella teams can make it to MSG, however.

The Blue Raiders aren't your typical mid-major sleeper squad. They don't rely solely on the three-point shot to keep them in games because they have two solid post players in LaRon Dendy and JT Sulton. Middle Tennessee needs them to dominate down low to pull off another upset.

After losing star big man Trevor Mbakwe early in the season, the Golden Gophers have bounced back nicely. Their best trait is balance. Seven different players saw extended playing time against Miami, and they all made an impact.

Predicted Winner: Minnesota

Massachusetts vs. Drexel

Massachusetts and Drexel probably isn't a game that jumps off the page at you, but both sides have had great seasons and should put on quite a show.

Minutemen guard Chaz Williams is worth the price of admission by himself. What the sophomore lacks in height, he makes up for with intensity. He's averaging 17 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals. There isn't much he can't do.

Drexel will counter with Frantz Massenat, who will be able to hold his own. Since each team receives good guard play, the game will likely be decided by the post players. If that's the case, Samme Givens should give the Dragons a lot of confidence in their chances.

Predicted Winner: Drexel

Nevada vs. Stanford

At different points in the season both Nevada and Stanford appeared to be on their way to NCAA berths before late-season disappointments.

The Wolfpack were shocked in the WAC Tournament by Louisiana Tech after going 13-1 in conference regular season games. Nevada, which has started the same five players in all 34 games, could have made some noise in the big dance.

Stanford was 10-1 in early December with the team's only loss coming against Syracuse, but the Cardinal struggled down the stretch. They seem to have rediscovered some of their earlier confidence, making them a big threat to take home the NIT title.

Predicted Winner: Stanford