Before we get into the bracket I just want to remind everyone that this bracket is based on an end of season projection. That distinction is certainly important when looking at a number of teams with hard schedules down the stretch and I just want to make sure it’s clear.
Before I get into the bracket. How about Wisconsin? The Badgers have gone from projected to barely make the NIT on Jan. 1 to being in the NCAA tournament in this latest bracket. Greg Gard is quite the miracle worker.
NCAA bubble teams (alphabetical): Colorado, Florida St., LSU, Saint Joseph’s, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, South Carolina, St. Bonaventure, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, VCU, Wisconsin
NIT Bracket:
Teams in italics are on the bubble due to potential automatic bids to No. 1 seeds in conference tournaments.
1. Saint Mary’s
8. UC Irvine
4. Houston
5. Ohio St.
3. Washington
6. Evansville
2. Tulsa
7. Arizona St.
1. Butler
8. Albany
4. Kansas St.
5. Georgetown
3. Oregon St.
6. William & Mary
2. Princeton
7. Siena
1. Texas Tech
8. Long Beach St.
4. Clemson
5. Hofstra
3. Georgia
6. Northern Iowa
2. George Washington
7. Boise St.
1. Creighton
8. Mississippi
4. UCLA
5. James Madison
3. BYU
6. Marquette
2. Alabama
7. Richmond
Also seriously considered (alphabetical): Arkansas, Charleston, Davidson, Georgia Tech, Illinois St., Northwestern, Rhode Island, UNLV, UT Arlington
Projected below .500: North Carolina St., Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia Tech
One note on the bracket. I swapped Mississippi (last 7 seed) and Richmond (first 8 seed) because two SEC teams shouldn’t play each other in the first round of the NIT. Otherwise everything else reflects a team’s true seed.
NYC Buckets Archive 
Where is middle Tennessee
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They have been loosely considered. Their projected RPI is around 94th with 1 projected Top 100 win (home against Belmont). They challenged themselves though during non-conference play, so that’s good. Still, I ultimately don’t think they’re going to make the field. I could certainly be wrong and it’s still possible that MTSU runs the table during the CUSA tournament and makes the NCAAs.
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Does Penn state have a chance they have been playing well lately.
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Nope. Penn State doesn’t have a chance. They’re projected to finish under .500 with a projected RPI around 120th or so. Neither of those are getting you anywhere close to the field.
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Any shot Towson can squeeze in there?
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It seems unlikely that Towson will make the NIT, it’s behind Hofstra and UNCW for sure in postseason pecking order. Probably headed to CBI/CIT without NCAA bid.
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does fresno state have a shot with a good tournament run
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I considered them, but it’s unlikely and would depend a ton on what happened around then.
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