NIT Tournament 2016: Updated Bracket and Schedule for Round 2 Contests

While not on the receiving end of as much hype as its bigger counterpart, the NIT bracket has offered plenty in the way of close games and major upsets.

Want close games? Several have come down to two points or less. Or how about upsets? No. 8 Wagner took down No. 1 St. Bonaventure 79-75.

The upset stands as reinforcement that just because a team stood on the bubble and got "snubbed" in the selection process doesn't mean a deep run in the NIT is a sure thing.

NIT play continues through the weekend, setting up the bracket with high-profile encounters as teams attempt to fight their way to New York. Here's a look at the updated schedule for Round 2.

NIT Round 2 Info

Date	Time (ET)	TV	Matchup
March 19	Noon	ESPN	Wagner at Creighton
March 20	Noon	ESPN	Florida at Ohio State
March 20	7:30 p.m.	ESPN U	Georgia at Saint Mary's
March 21	7 p.m.	ESPN	George Washington at Monmouth
March 21	9 p.m.	ESPN	Georgia Tech at South Carolina
March 21	11:30 p.m.	ESPN 2	Washington at San Diego State

Updated bracket can be found here, courtesy of NCAA.com. Full schedule and broadcast information are courtesy of NESN.com.

Wagner at Creighton

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

This isn't exactly the matchup most were expecting.

Folks figured Creighton would make it through No. 5 Alabama. The Bluejays did in 72-54 fashion, getting 20 points from Maurice Watson Jr. and double-digit production from two others.

Most, though, figured the Bluejays would have to deal with St. Bonaventure.

Instead, it's eighth-seeded Wagner, as the Seahawks scored the aforementioned upset through double digits from three starters, shooting 39 percent from deep, winning the rebounding battle and doling out 16 assists.

Was it really a huge surprise, though? ESPN Stats & Info pointed out most should expect these sort of shenanigans from the NIT:

Wagner is resilient in the face of numbers, as the Seahawks ranked just 185th in ESPN.com's RPI rankings on a strength of schedule coming in at 340.

The question becomes whether Wagner can pull off the same feat twice. For comparison's sake, Creighton comes in at 103rd in RPI on a 95th-ranked strength of schedule. Though it only won three of them, the team at least had experience over 14 games against the RPI top 100.

Creighton averages 79 points per game, has four scorers averaging double digits and has crafted an offense that shoots 47 percent from the field. Over at KenPom.com, the Bluejays quietly rank 70th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 40th in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Wager won't pull off the same feat twice, not when it's clear Creighton is hungry to win the whole thing. Look for the Bluejays to distance themselves in the second half.

Prediction: Creighton 72, Wagner 65

Florida at Ohio State

Richard Shiro/Associated Press

Two powers that don't like each other much over multiple sports make for an interesting matchup in the second round of the NIT.

Florida looks like one of the most dangerous teams in the bracket, having hit the first round and making quite the statement with a 97-68 victory against North Florida, hitting a ridiculous 16 shots from deep in the process.

Ohio State, on the other hand, needed overtime to beat Akron 72-63, getting 18 points from a trio of starters but turning the ball over 12 times.

Interestingly enough, the Buckeyes will host the second-round contest instead of Florida, the higher seed. As if balancing the scales, though, the Buckeyes might be without Keita Bates-Diop, according to Tim Shoemaker of ElevenWarriors.com, meaning the team might have to give it a go without its second-leading scorer.

Look for Florida to take advantage on the road. The Gators don't have the most potent offense around despite those 16 three-pointers, but they do rank 19th in adjusted defensive efficiency. They're more battle-tested, too, ranking 52nd in RPI despite an 11th-ranked strength of schedule compared to Ohio State's 72nd and 31st, respectively.

Home game or not, the Buckeyes will have a hard time containing Dorian Finney-Smith (14.9 points per game) and others, especially with one of their most important players possibly missing the game.

Look for Florida to keep marching by pulling away late.

Prediction: Florida 68, Ohio State 65

Stats and information courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. Advanced metrics courtesy of ESPN.com and KenPom.com. Odds courtesy of Odds Shark as of Tuesday morning.