NIT 2014: Schedule, Live Stream and Bracket Predictions for Quarterfinals Day 2

Half of the field has been established for the NIT semifinals. On Monday, the Clemson Tigers overcame an upset-minded Belmont Bruins team to punch their ticket from Region 2. In the other quarterfinal game from Tuesday, top-seeded Minnesota knocked off Southern Mississippi.

On Wednesday night, those two teams will find out what squads will make up the opposition in the semifinals.

Here's a look at Wednesday's schedule and viewing information in the NIT. Just below the table is a breakdown and prediction for both matchups.

Games	Time	Live Stream	TV
Region 1 - No. 1 SMU vs. No. 2 California	9 p.m. ET	Watch ESPN	ESPN 2
Region 4 - No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 3 Louisiana Tech	7 p.m. ET	Watch ESPN	ESPN 2

Louisiana Tech Will Tip Top-Seeded Florida State

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

Bulldogs point guard Kenneth Smith is an underrated prospect. He's a junior who definitely needs to return to school for his senior season, but at 6'3", the man they call "Speedy" has some interesting tools.

Smith is not an explosive athlete, but he has a high basketball IQ, good vision and quick hands on defense. He's averaging 7.8 assists per game and 2.5 steals.

If the old adage about guard play coming up big in college basketball tournaments is true, the Bulldogs have a capable player running the show.

Here's an interview with the Louisiana Tech star:

Florida State hails from a bigger conference and it is the higher seed, but turnovers have been an issue of late. The Seminoles have coughed the ball up 16 times in each of their NIT games.

Going against a ball hawk and point guard like Smith, this issue stands to be magnified. The Bulldogs have kept miscues to a minimum in most games. As a team, they average just 12 turnovers per game.

Again, much of the credit for that goes to Smith's ball security.

In a very close game, turnovers can make or break a team. On Wednesday, they will break Florida State.

California's Inside-Outside Balance Will Overcome SMU

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Guard play is always important in college basketball tournaments. But a balance of solid play inside and outside is even more important. In the matchup of Cal and SMU, the Golden Bears have a more well-rounded attack and the requisite leader running the show.

Senior point guard Justin Cobbs is one of the country's best floor generals. He has a knack for understanding when to assert himself as a scorer and when to set teammates up.

He came into the NIT off two straight 21-point games, but since the tournament began, he's been feeding his teammates more effectively. His scoring average in two tournament games is just 11 points per contest, but he's been averaging 6.5 assists.

On the inside, David Kravish has been a terror on the glass and as a shot-blocker. Kravish has averaged nine rebounds and four blocks per game in the NIT. He has stepped up his play in the absence of Richard Solomon, who is out with a concussion.

California Golden Blogs recognizes Kravish's penchant for erasing shots:

SMU will try to counter Kravish inside with 6'9", 245-pound sophomore Markus Kennedy, but SMU doesn't have the depth to exploit Cal in the frontcourt.

Look for Cobbs to run the offense efficiently and for Kravish's play to trigger transition opportunities for the Golden Bears.

Cal will win and advance to the semifinals.

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