NIT Tournament 2018: Bracket, Schedule and Semifinals Predictions

In the midst of one of the more memorable NCAA tournaments in recent memory, it's easy to forget that the NIT is still happening and features some strong sides that would have made some noise in the Big Dance had their resumes been just a bit stronger.

The Final Four of the NCAA tournament is set, as we all know by now, but the NIT's remaining four teams are no slouches either.

Here's a look at the semifinals schedule for the NIT, which tips off this coming Tuesday at Madison Square Garden:

NIT Final Four Schedule and Bracket (All Times ET)

Tuesday, March 27

No. 2 Utah vs. No. 4 Western Kentucky (7 p.m., ESPN)

No. 4 Penn State vs. No. 4 Mississippi State (9 p.m., ESPN)

Thursday, March 29

Winner of semifinal No. 1 vs. winner of semifinal No. 2 (7 p.m., ESPN2) 

Predictions

No. 2 Utah vs. No. 4 Western Kentucky

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Falling just short of the NCAA tournament isn't the goal for any college basketball program at the start of the season, but winning the NIT is no small feat. And despite not being a part of the more common March Madness, Utah is looking to end its season on a high note after a disappointing finish in Pac-12 play.

But the Utes will have to go up against a Western Kentucky team that easily could've done what Loyola-Chicago is doing in the NCAA tournament right now had it won its conference tournament.

Western Kentucky could've been the Cinderella story we all love to watch at this time of year, but a loss to Marshall in the Conference USA tournament robbed America of watching a dynamic and exciting program on the biggest stage of college basketball.

However, winning the NIT will just go to show how good this team truly is.

With a season record of 27-10, the Hilltoppers have upended NCAA tournament snubs Oklahoma State and USC this postseason and will now look to upset the Utes. Don't be surprised when Western Kentucky uses its defense to silence the hot shooting of Utah to punch a ticket to the championship game. 

Look for Utah to struggle and fall behind early as Western Kentucky's defense swarms the Utes to a berth in the NIT final. 

No. 4 Penn State vs. No. 4 Mississippi State

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The bright side of missing out on the NCAA tournament is that a team still gets to continue playing long after the regular season is over in other postseason tournaments.

The Nittany Lions didn't have the resume to make it to the Big Dance, but Penn State was one of the hottest teams in basketball toward the end of the season. It's good to see this group still playing at a high level.

Penn State nearly burst a few bubbles earlier this month by making the Big Ten tournament semis. The Nittany Lions made a late run at an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament, but in the end, their resume wasn't strong enough.

Penn State earned a pair of impressive road wins over Northwestern, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Marquette and most recently Temple. This team is no joke. And it's no wonder why Penn State was so competitive against Purdue—a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament this year—in the Big Ten tournament, losing 78-70 in a back-and-forth battle.

Mississippi State is no pushover, having just defeated one of the NIT's favorites in Louisville, but it's the Nittany Lions' game to lose at this point. It won't be easy, but Penn State will pull away in the second half behind a clutch performance from sophomore Lamar Stevens to put Mississippi State away.