NIT 2016: Bracket, Schedule and Players to Watch

Not many teams in college basketball can end their seasons on a high note, but four teams in the NIT will attempt to accomplish that at Madison Square Garden.

Although the National Invitation Tournament might serve as a consolation for those who didn't make the NCAA tournament, there are some talented teams still playing. Squads that either just fell short of reaching the Big Dance or simply took too long to reach their stride all have something to prove.

With the 32-team field narrowed down to four, there should be a competitive atmosphere in New York City as we wait for a new champion to be crowned. Here is a look at the remaining schedule for the NIT and a few players who will make the final few games fun to watch.

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV
March 29	Valparaiso vs. BYU	7 p.m.	ESPN
March 29	George Washington vs. San Diego State	9 p.m.	ESPN
March 31	Championship Game	7 p.m.	ESPN

Full bracket courtesy of NCAA.com.

Top Players to Watch

Kyle Collinsworth, BYU

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

There is always talk about "do-it-all players" in basketball, but few exemplify that as much as Kyle Collinsworth. The senior can fill up the box score as well as anyone in the sport, averaging 15.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game this year.

As BYU announcer Greg Wrubell explained, he has shattered the record books in his career:

Collinsworth currently has six triple-doubles this year, which easily leads the nation and is tied for the most in NCAA history in a single season. His most recent came in the first round of the NIT against UAB when he tallied 19 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

While BYU has better pure scorers like Chase Fischer and Nick Emery, these players succeed because Collinsworth helps put them in a great position to succeed. The 6'6" guard simply does whatever it takes to help his team win, and now he has the Cougars in the NIT semifinals.

There aren't many players around like Collinsworth, so make sure you watch him now before his career comes to an end.

Alec Peters, Valparaiso

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Valparaiso is a team that could have done a lot of damage if it reached the NCAA tournament. Despite losing in the Horizon League tournament, many thought this team should still get an at-large bid.

A lot of that was thanks to the play of Alec Peters, who averaged 18.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game this season. Not only is he able to put up big scoring numbers, he does it efficiently with 44.8 percent shooting from three-point range and 85.2 percent free-throw shooting, both of which are incredible numbers for a 6'9" forward.

Peters is one of the more difficult individual matchups in college basketball with his ability to score inside or stretch the floor with his outside shooting, all while never forcing a shot.

According to Sports Reference, Peters' efficiency helped give him the fourth-best offensive rating in the country. His 7.8 win shares also ranked fourth, ahead of both Buddy Hield and Denzel Valentine. With Peters leading the way offensively and the Crusaders playing strong defense, this is a team that will not be easy to beat.

Winston Shepard, San Diego State

Kent Horner/Getty Images

While many teams are disappointed to have to play in the NIT, Winston Shepard is one player looking at the bright side, per Andrew Burer of Fox 5 San Diego:

Shepard has certainly taken advantage of his opportunity already in this tournament, posting the first triple-double in San Diego State history in Round 1 against IPFW. He followed that up with a pair of strong performances in wins over Washington and Georgia Tech to reach the semifinals.

This has been a bit of a disappointing year for Shepard, who was expected to take over as a go-to scorer for the Aztecs. After scoring 11.1 points per game as a junior, however, he was only able to improve to 11.4 points per game as a senior, including poor shooting numbers across the board.

Still, the talent is obviously there to put together a big game or two in New York. The 6'8" forward leads the team in both rebounds and assists per game and has a chance to end his career on a high note.

Tyler Cavanaugh, George Washington 

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

When Tyler Cavanaugh is shooting well, there isn't a whole lot you can do to stop him.

The junior has scored at least 20 points in all three NIT games so far while shooting 54.1 percent from the field and 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from three-point range. Just for good measure, he is also averaging 9.3 rebounds per game in this stretch.

George Washington wasn't particularly close to making the NCAA tournament, but this team did have a bunch of impressive wins this year, including over Virginia, Seton Hall and Virginia Commonwealth. While the supporting cast and defense was tough to trust, Cavanaugh was the one constant with double-digit points in all 36 games this season.

If San Diego State wants to advance to the finals, it better find a way to contain this scorer averaging 16.8 points per game.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.