NIT 2017 Schedule: TV Coverage, Online Live-Stream Guide for Championship

After wild twists and turns befitting of the "madness" label, fourth-seeded TCU will meet sixth-seeded Georgia Tech Thursday with an NIT title on the line. 

Thanks to a relentless attack led by the mismatch nightmare Vladimir Brodziansky, the Horned Frogs blew past a top seed and eventually into the title game. The Yellow Jackets' strength comes on the other end of the hardwood, setting up a fitting war of wills.

Though the Big Dance's bracket has produced Cinderellas like South Carolina and a pair of top seeds sure to entertain, this NIT offering isn't something to overlook, not given the teams and matches involved.

Here's a look at the schedule:

Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	Television	Stream
No. 4 TCU vs. No. 6 Georgia Tech	Thursday, March 30	8 p.m.	ESPN	WatchESPN

For those who are curious, there is an updated NIT bracket available at NCAA.com. But breaking down the road traveled by both teams makes it all the more impressive. 

TCU (67th in ESPN's RPI rankings) moved past fifth-seeded Fresno State, 66-59, before putting on an offensive fireworks display while taking down top-seeded Iowa, 94-92, an overtime classic. Then it was sixth-seeded Richmond, 86-68, before blowing past fourth-seeded UCF, 68-53.

The Horned Frogs shot better than 50 percent from the floor in two of the games, and Brodziansky has now scored 18 or more points in three consecutive games. It all helps to explain the team ranking 39th in adjusted offensive efficiency at KenPom.com.

"We love these guys," TCU head coach Jamie Dixon said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "We just want two more days with them. ... We'll look forward to getting ready for Georgia Tech."

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Rest assured, Georgia Tech will be ready. 

The Yellow Jackets (106th RPI) rely on the other end of the spectrum to win games. They rank sixth in adjusted defensive efficiency at KenPom.com, a slotting reinforced by tournament play thus far.

Georgia Tech rallied past third-seeded Indiana in 75-63 fashion, cruised past seventh-seeded Belmont, 71-57, and did the same against fifth-seeded Ole Miss, 74-66. In the semifinals, the Yellow Jackets were more than happy to play the villain, shutting down the Cinderella story of eighth-seeded CSU Bakersfield, cruising to a 76-61 outcome.

No opponent has yet to shoot even 40 percent from the floor against the Yellow Jackets in the NIT.

Which isn't to say Georgia Tech can't score. Freshman sensation Josh Okogie now has outings of 24, 15, 26 and 22 points. While on the topic of impressive stats, though, it is center Ben Lammers doing the heavy lifting underneath the basket, with 36 rebounds and 18 blocks over four games.

Lammers recently described the Yellow Jackets perfectly during an interview with Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

When it comes to nailing down a prediction, it's important to keep in mind Las Vegas likes the Horned Frogs by 3.5, according to OddsShark.

It's a hard stance to reconcile. Or viewed through another lens, perhaps it's a good time to roll with an underdog. When it comes to resume against proven competition, TCU only went 2-9 against the RPI top 25, whereas the Yellow Jackets went 4-4. Georgia Tech also went 8-0 against teams outside of the RPI top 150. TCU dropped one game against No. 169 Oklahoma.

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Maybe TCU can get hot and break the trend, but it's not something to count on in a title encounter. Georgia Tech's flustering defense hasn't had any problems slowing any and all comers, from top seeds to Cinderellas in this bracket, to top-tier competition around the nation.

Expect this inside-outside dominance from Lammers and Okogie to continue. The former can match Brodziansky down low, leaving the latter to impose his will while the Yellow Jackets pace this game in a fashion they like.

Prediction: Georgia Tech 66, TCU 60

Advanced metrics courtesy of ESPN.com.