2008 National Invitation Tournament

2008 National Invitation Tournament

Season	2007–08
Teams	32
Finals site	Madison Square Garden, New York City
Champions	Ohio State Buckeyes (2nd title)
Runner-up	Massachusetts Minutemen (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Florida Gators (3rd semifinal) Ole Miss Rebels (1st semifinal)
Winning coach	Thad Matta (1st title)
MVP	Kosta Koufos (Ohio State)
National Invitation Tournaments « 2007 2009 »

The 2008 National Invitation Tournament (known through sponsorship as the MasterCard NIT) was a single-elimination tournament of 32 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams that did not participate in the 2008 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The 71st annual tournament began on March 18 on campus sites and ended on April 3 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. ^[1] Each regular season conference champion that did not receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament received an automatic bid to this tournament. The remaining slots were filled by the NIT Selection Committee. ^[2] The first, second, and third rounds were played on the higher seeded team's home court, with the semi-finals and finals played at Madison Square Garden.

The Ohio State Buckeyes won the tournament.

Selection Committee

The 2008 NIT Selection Committee consists of the following former college basketball coaches and administrators: ^[3]

• Rudy Davalos
• Don DeVoe
• Gene Keady
• Reggie Minton
• C. M. Newton (Chair)
• John J. Powers
• Carroll Williams

Participants

Automatic qualifiers

The following teams were automatic qualifiers for the 2008 NIT field after losing in their respective conference tournaments; by virtue of winning their conferences' regular season championship and not qualifying for the NCAA tournament.

Team	Conference	Record	Appearance	Last bid
Alabama State	SWAC	20–10	2nd	1983
Morgan State	MEAC	22–10	1st	Never
Robert Morris	Northeast	26–7	1st	Never
Stephen F. Austin	Southland	26–5	2nd	1987
UC Santa Barbara	Big West	23–8	5th	2003
UNC Asheville	Big South	23–9	1st	Never
Utah State	WAC	24–10	9th	2007
VCU	CAA	24–7	5th	2005

Seedings

Seed School Conference Record Berth type 1 Ohio State Big Ten 19–13 At-large 2 Illinois State MVC 24–9 At-large 3 Dayton A-10 21–10 At-large 4 California Pac-10 16–15 At-large 5 New Mexico MWC 24–8 At-large 6 Cleveland State Horizon 21–12 At-large 7 Utah State WAC 24–10 Automatic 8 UNC Asheville Big South 23–9 Automatic	Seed School Conference Record Berth type 1 Virginia Tech ACC 19–13 At-large 2 Ole Miss SEC 21–10 At-large 3 Nebraska Big 12 19–12 At-large 4 VCU CAA 24–7 Automatic 5 UAB C-USA 22–10 At-large 6 Charlotte A-10 20–13 At-large 7 UC Santa Barbara Big West 23–8 Automatic 8 Morgan State MEAC 22–10 Automatic
Seed School Conference Record Berth type 1 Arizona State Pac-10 19–12 At-large 2 Florida SEC 21–11 At-large 3 Creighton MVC 21–10 At-large 4 Southern Illinois MVC 17–14 At-large 5 Oklahoma State Big 12 17–15 At-large 6 Rhode Island A-10 21–11 At-large 7 San Diego State MWC 20–12 At-large 8 Alabama State SWAC 20–10 Automatic	Seed School Conference Record Berth type 1 Syracuse Big East 19–13 At-large 2 UMass A-10 21–10 At-large 3 Florida State ACC 19–14 At-large 4 Minnesota Big Ten 20–13 At-large 5 Maryland ACC 18–14 At-large 6 Akron MAC 23–10 At-large 7 Stephen F. Austin Southland 26–5 Automatic 8 Robert Morris NEC 26–7 Automatic

Bracket

	First round					Second round					Quarterfinals
	1	Ohio State	84
	8	UNC Asheville	66
						1	Ohio State^	73
						4	California	56
	4	California	68
	5	New Mexico	66
											1	Ohio State	74
											3	Dayton	63
	3	Dayton	66
	6	Cleveland State	57
						3	Dayton	55
						2	Illinois State	48
	2	Illinois State	61
	7	Utah State	57

^Game played at nearby St. John Arena due to a Bruce Springsteen concert at Value City Arena.

	First round					Second round					Quarterfinals
	1	Virginia Tech	94
	8	Morgan State	62
						1	Virginia Tech	75
						5	UAB	49
	4	VCU	77
	5	UAB	80
											1	Virginia Tech	72
											2	Mississippi	81
	3	Nebraska	67
	6	Charlotte	48
						3	Nebraska	75
						2	Mississippi	85*
	2	Mississippi	83
	7	UC Santa Barbara	68

	First round					Second round					Quarterfinals
	1	Arizona State	64
	8	Alabama State	53
						1	Arizona State	65
						4	Southern Illinois	51
	4	Southern Illinois	69
	5	Oklahoma State	53
											1	Arizona State	57
											2	Florida	70
	3	Creighton	74
	6	Rhode Island	73
						3	Creighton	54
						2	Florida	82
	2	Florida	73
	7	San Diego State	49

	First round					Second round					Quarterfinals
	1	Syracuse	87
	8	Robert Morris	81
						1	Syracuse	88
						5	Maryland	72
	4	Minnesota	58
	5	Maryland	68
											1	Syracuse	77
											2	Massachusetts	81
	3	Florida State	60
	6	Akron	65*
						6	Akron	63
						2	Massachusetts	68
	2	Massachusetts	80
	7	Stephen F. Austin	60

Semifinals and Final

Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 1 and 3

	Semifinals					Final
	1	Ohio State	81
	2	Mississippi	69
						1	Ohio State	92
						2	Massachusetts	85
	2	Florida	66
	2	Massachusetts	78

* - Overtime game.

See also

• 2008 Women's National Invitation Tournament
• 2008 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 2008 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament
• 2008 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament
• 2008 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
• 2008 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 2008 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament
• 2008 College Basketball Invitational

References

1. 71st Annual National Invitation Tournament :: <blank>
2. NIT – National Invitation Tournament
3. NIT – National Invitation Tournament