NIT 2019: Bracket, Schedule and Tournament's Top Teams Heading into Round 2

The second round of the NIT will take place in the shadow of the NCAA tournament over the next few days. 

In the first round, five lower seeds advanced into the final 16, including eighth-seeded Norfolk State, who knocked off No. 1 seed Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Now, all five of those upset teams have to hit the road again for the second round, which will be played Friday through Monday. 

Two of the top seeds left in the tournament hit the hardwood Saturday, with one of them facing an intriguing matchup against another mid-major side, while the third returns to action Sunday. 

The updated NIT bracket can be found at NCAA.com.

NIT Schedule

Friday, March 22

Memphis at Creighton (8:30 p.m., ESPNU) 

Saturday, March 23

Arkansas at Indiana (Noon, ESPN) 

Lipscomb at UNC-Greensboro (2 p.m., ESPN) 

Sunday, March 24

Wichita State at Clemson (2 p.m., ESPN)

Xavier at Texas (4 p.m., ESPN)

Harvard at NC State (7:30 p.m., ESPNU) 

Nebraska at TCU (9:30 p.m., ESPNU) 

Monday, March 25

Norfolk State at Colorado (9 p.m., ESPN2) 

NIT's Top Teams

UNC Greensboro

The first team left out of the NCAA tournament avoided a letdown at home in the first round, as UNC Greensboro breezed past Campbell. 

Next up for the Spartans is another mid-major opponent in Lipscomb, who knocked off Davidson on the road in the first round. 

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

UNC Greensboro earned consideration for an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament because of the resume it put together while playing in the Southern Conference, which was one of the toughest mid-major leagues this season. 

Unfortunately for the Spartans, they were bounced from the field of 68 when Oregon stole a bid by winning the Pac-12 tournament. 

But the Spartans didn't let the disappointment affect them on their home floor Tuesday, as they used a 51-point second half to get past Campbell. 

Francis Alonso and Isaiah Miller make up one of the best scoring tandems in the NIT, and they proved how important they are to the Spartans by combining for 47 points in the victory over Campbell. 

If the pair again play at a high level against Lipscomb Saturday, the Spartans could be set for an in-state clash with NC State, who is the No. 2 seed in their bracket. 

Indiana

Indiana's late regular-season surge put it in the national conversation because it had such an intriguing NCAA tournament resume.

However, the Hoosiers' struggles at the start of Big Ten play, as well as a loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament, relegated them to the NIT. 

Without star freshman Romeo Langford in the lineup in the first round, four players reached double digits for Archie Miller's team against Saint Francis (PA). 

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

The all-around scoring effort will be needed once more versus Arkansas in the second round Saturday at Assembly Hall. 

If Langford remains out, Juwan Morgan will be tasked with being the team's top scorer once again, as he netted 28 points in the first round. 

As long as Morgan and the Indiana supporting cast play as well as they did in the first round, they'll be one of the favorites to win the tournament. 

It also helps the Hoosiers that Arkansas is coming to Assembly Hall without its best player, as Daniel Gafford is sitting out the tournament to focus on the NBA draft (h/t CBSSports.com's Kyle Boone).

With home-court advantage and a diverse scoring offense on its side, Indiana should get to Madison Square Garden for the NIT Final Four at minimum.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.