NIT Tournament 2019: Full Bracket, Schedule and Top Championship Contenders

The 2019 National Invitation Tournament began on Tuesday night with 10 first-round matchups. The rest of the opening round for this year's NIT will take place on Wednesday night.

For teams that didn't make the NCAA tournament, the NIT presents an opportunity for postseason play and the chance for teams to end the season by winning a championship at Madison Square Garden.

Although this year's tournament is still in its early stages, there are several teams that are top contenders to win.

Below the schedule are three schools that could be celebrating following the championship game on April 4.

2019 NIT Schedule

The NIT bracket can be found here. All times ET.

First Round

Wednesday, March 20

Harvard at Georgetown, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Wichita State at Furman, 7 p.m., ESPN3

Norfolk State at Alabama, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Toledo at Xavier, 7 p.m., ESPN3

Sam Houston State at TCU, 9 p.m., ESPNU

Butler at Nebraska, 9 p.m., ESPN2       

Second Round

March 21-25 at campus sites       

Quarterfinals

March 26-27 at campus sites         

Semifinals

April 2 at Madison Square Garden         

Final

April 4 at Madison Square Garden

Top Championship Contenders

Indiana

Indiana was among the bubble teams for the NCAA tournament, but it was left out and instead became a No. 1 seed in the NIT. The Hoosiers opened postseason play with an 89-72 win over St. Francis (Pa.) on Tuesday night.

Next, Indiana will host Arkansas in the second round. The Hoosiers have home-court advantage through the quarterfinals, which could help them become one of the four teams playing at Madison Square Garden in the semifinals.

Freshman guard Romeo Langford didn't play in Indiana's NIT opener due to a back injury. Langford is a potential top-10 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, if he decides to declare, so it's quite possible that he won't play again for the Hoosiers.

Nonetheless, Indiana is a solid team that started to return to form at the end of the regular season, when it won four straight games—including victories over Wisconsin and Michigan State. Expect the Hoosiers to contend for the NIT championship this postseason.

TCU

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

TCU was another bubble team that missed out on the NCAA tournament and is now a No. 1 seed in the NIT.

The Horned Frogs won 12 of their first 13 games this season, but they struggled more during Big 12 play, posting a 7-11 conference record. They lost seven of their last 10 games, including a loss to Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament.

However, TCU has played tougher competition than many of the other NIT teams, which could have it prepared for a deep run in the tournament. The Horned Frogs host Sam Houston State in a first-round matchup on Wednesday night.

"We have been through a lot this year—a lot of controversy, a lot of lineup changes, people getting hurt and leaving," TCU senior guard Alex Robinson said, according to SB Nation.

"Honestly, I'm just proud of us—the way we have been able to handle it and bounce back. Even though we are disappointed, we feel like we still have something to play for."

Georgetown

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Georgetown is a No. 3 seed, but it could still make a run and be a championship contender in this year's NIT.

The Hoyas had some late-season quality wins, including victories over a pair of NCAA tournament teams in Seton Hall and Marquette. However, they then lost to Seton Hall in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament.

Georgetown improved in its second season under head coach Patrick Ewing, as it will be participating in postseason play for the first time since 2015, which was also the last time the Hoyas made the NCAA tournament.

Much like Indiana and TCU, Georgetown played a tougher conference schedule than some of the mid-major teams in the NIT, so that could help the Hoyas have a strong showing in their first NIT appearance since 2014.

Georgetown opens the NIT against Harvard on Wednesday night.