As they say, “You can’t spell NIT with the Nittany Lions …”
The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) announced their format today, confirming that 16 teams will be invited, instead of the normal 32 teams.
Conference USA and the University of North Texas will host the tournament, instead of at participant campuses for the first three rounds and famed Madison Square Garden for the semifinals and finals. Specifically, games will be hosted at Comerica Center (Frisco, TX) and University of North Texas Coliseum (Denton, TX).
Starting two days before the NCAA Tournament like normal, first round games begin Wednesday March 17th (through Saturday March 20th). Quarterfinals are Thursday March 25 with the semifinals and finals that weekend. The NIT added back the 3rd place game for the first time since 2003. Penn State Basketball actually won that “third place game” three times; in 2000 over NC State, in 1995 over Canisius, and 1990 over New Mexico.
The field will be announced at 8:30 pm on Sunday March 14th, about 2.5 hours after the NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed. There will be no automatic qualifiers this year and all games will be televised on ESPN or ESPN 2.
At 8-13, Penn State Basketball isn’t on anyone’s radar for any postseason tournament.
Assuming the Athletic Department would allow Penn State Basketball to participate, the Nittany Lions must win the next two games (both winnable, vs Minnesota and at Maryland). Then, two or three wins in the Big Ten Tournament would make Penn State Basketball a very intriguing 12-14 or 13-14.
The NIT does not have a .500 record requirement, and given that teams may opt-out this year, the selection of the field could truly go in any direction. And while the CBI has announced they will field a tournament, it’s unlikely Penn State Basketball or any major conference school would participate (don’t even bring up Siena to me). The CIT (College Invitational Tournament) has already announced no 2021 tournament and despite the strongest twitter game around, the #VegasOcho is likely still dead too.
Keep #climbing