NIT 2015: Schedule, Live Stream and Bracket Predictions for Sunday's 2nd Round

The NIT second round continues on Sunday with a trio of games. The winners will assume half of the remaining spots in the quarterfinals. Along with that, they would stand just one victory away from a trip to Madison Square Garden for the final rounds.

Playing in the NIT is always a nice consolation prize. That said, teams must first overcome the disappointment of missing out on the NCAA tournament. Reaching the Big Dance either through a conference tourney or an at-large bid is always the main focus entering March.

Now the main objective is getting to MSG and potentially winning a postseason title. Let's check out the slate of action scheduled for Sunday, along with predictions for each contest.

Sunday Schedule and Viewing Info

Time (ET)	Team	Team	TV	Live Stream
11 a.m.	George Washington	Temple	ESPN	WatchESPN
7:30 p.m.	Arizona State	Richmond	ESPNU	WatchESPN
9:30 p.m.	Rhode Island	Stanford	ESPNU	WatchESPN

Game Predictions

No. 5 George Washington at No. 1 Temple

Mike Lawrie/Getty Images

Temple used a second-half surge to edge Bucknell in its tournament opener. On a night when many Owls struggled from the field, Will Cummings stepped up with 30 points. He's going to need a little more help against a George Washington squad that edged Pittsburgh on the road.

The Owls could have easily earned an NCAA tournament berth. They were one of the bubble teams left out by the selection committee with a legitimate case. Bob Brookover of The Philadelphia Inquirer notes head coach Fran Dunphy tried to keep things in perspective for his players.

"There is nothing you can say," Dunphy said. "I would go to the committee and say what? 'You should have included Temple.' Well, they didn't, so we're disappointed, but if this is the most disappointed our guys will be in their lifetime, then they will have a really, really good life."

Both of these teams are better on the defensive end than on offense. Neither one is particularly interested in pushing the tempo, either. In a game where the first side to 60 probably wins, Temple has the edge thanks to playing at home and the strong play of Cummings.

Prediction: Temple by 5

No. 5 Arizona State at No. 1 Richmond

Zach Gibson/Associated Press

It seemed like Richmond was heating up at the right time. The Spiders won six straight games heading into the A-10 tournament. A narrow loss to VCU ended their dreams of the Big Dance, but they rebounded nicely to knock out St. Francis in their NIT opener.

Next up is an Arizona State side that already has one road victory in the tourney. The Sun Devils edged Connecticut thanks in large part to 22 points from Shaquielle McKissic. John O'Connor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch notes they traveled straight to Virginia to avoid a hectic travel schedule:

This game has all the makings of one that goes right down to the wire. Both squads have a deep group of scoring options and are above average defensively. The Spiders hold the narrow advantage, but neither result would be a surprise.

Prediction: Richmond by 2

No. 3 Rhode Island at No. 2 Stanford

John Locher/Associated Press

Rhode Island is coming off perhaps its best offensive performance of the campaign in an 88-75 victory over Iona in the first round. The Rams had five different players reach double figures while dishing out 18 assists with just 10 turnovers.

A similar effort will be necessary on Sunday. Stanford is a dangerous offensive team led by Chasson Randle at nearly 19 points per game. The team noted he's likely got his eye on a new school record as the season nears its conclusion:

Barring a major scoring spree, he'll likely need to play at least three more games to reach that mark. That adds some extra motivation for the Cardinal. They were a little sluggish down the stretch of the regular season, but looked good in the first NIT game. Look for them to advance.

Prediction: Stanford by 8