1997 National Invitation Tournament

1997 National Invitation Tournament

Season	1996–97
Teams	32
Finals site	Madison Square Garden, New York City
Champions	Michigan Wolverines (vacated) (2nd title)
Runner-up	Florida State Seminoles (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Connecticut Huskies (2nd semifinal) Arkansas Razorbacks (1st semifinal)
Winning coach	Steve Fisher (1st title)
MVP	Robert Traylor (vacated) (Michigan)
National Invitation Tournaments « 1996 1998 »

Giallo e Blu

The 1997 National Invitation Tournament was the 1997 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition. Michigan's tournament victory was later vacated due to players Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock being ruled ineligible by the NCAA. Traylor also vacated his tournament Most Valuable Player award.

Selected teams

Below is a list of the 32 teams selected for the tournament. ^[1]

• Arkansas
• Bowling Green
• Bradley
• Connecticut
• Drexel
• Florida State
• Fresno State
• George Washington
• Hawaii
• Iona
• Memphis
• Miami (FL)
• Michigan
• Michigan State
• NC State
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Orleans
• Northern Arizona
• Notre Dame
• Oklahoma State
• Oral Roberts
• Oregon
• Pittsburgh
• Southwest Missouri State
• Syracuse
• TCU
• Tulane
• UAB
• UNLV
• Washington
• West Virginia

Bracket

Below are the four first round brackets, along with the four-team championship bracket. ^[1]

	First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
	Michigan State		65
	George Washington		50
						Michigan State		63
						Florida State		68
	Florida State		82
	Syracuse		67
											Florida State		76
											West Virginia		71
	West Virginia		98
	Bowling Green		95
						West Virginia		76
						NC State		73
	NC State		77
	SW Missouri State		66

	First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
	Nevada		97
	Fresno State		86
						Nevada		68
						Nebraska		78
	Nebraska		67
	Washington		63
											Nebraska		67
											Connecticut		76
	Bradley		66
	Drexel		53
						Bradley		47
						Connecticut		63
	Connecticut		71
	Iona		66

	First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
	Michigan		76
	Miami (FL)		63
						Michigan		75
						Oklahoma State		65
	Oklahoma State		79
	Tulane		72
											Michigan		67
											Notre Dame		66
	Notre Dame		74
	Oral Roberts		58
						Notre Dame		82
						TCU		72
	TCU		85
	UAB		62

	First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
	UNLV		66
	Memphis		62
						UNLV		89
						Hawaii		80
	Hawaii		71
	Oregon		61
											UNLV		73
											Arkansas		86
	Arkansas		101
	Northern Arizona		75
						Arkansas		76
						Pittsburgh		71
	Pittsburgh		82
	New Orleans		63

Semifinals & finals

	Semifinals					Finals
	Florida State		71
	Connecticut		65
						Florida State		73
						Michigan		82
	Michigan		77
	Arkansas		62

	Third place game
	Connecticut		74
	Arkansas		64

Michigan later forfeited its entire 1996–97 schedule after Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor and Louis Bullock were found to have taken money from a Michigan booster.

See also

• 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 1997 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament
• 1997 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament
• 1997 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
• 1997 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 1997 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament

References

1. Tournament Results (1990's) at nit.org, URL accessed November 7, 2009. Archived 11/6/09