2008 National Invitation Tournament

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2008 National Invitation Tournament
Season 200708
Teams32
Finals site Madison Square Garden
New York City
Champions Ohio State (2nd title)
Runner-up Massachusetts (1st title game)
Semifinalists
Winning coach Thad Matta (1st title)
MVP Kosta Koufos (Ohio State)
National Invitation Tournaments
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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.

Contents

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]

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.

TeamConferenceRecordAppearanceLast bid
Alabama State SWAC 20–102nd 1983
Morgan State MEAC 22–101stNever
Robert Morris Northeast 26–71stNever
Stephen F. Austin Southland 26–52nd 1987
UC Santa Barbara Big West 23–85th 2003
UNC Asheville Big South 23–91stNever
Utah State WAC 24–109th 2007
VCU CAA 24–75th 2005

Seedings

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

Bracket

First round Second round Quarterfinals
         
1 Ohio State84
8 UNC Asheville 66
1 Ohio State^ 73
4 California 56
4 California68
5 New Mexico 66
1 Ohio State74
3 Dayton 63
3 Dayton66
6 Cleveland State 57
3 Dayton55
2 Illinois State 48
2 Illinois State61
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 Tech94
8 Morgan State 62
1 Virginia Tech75
5 UAB 49
4 VCU 77
5 UAB80
1 Virginia Tech 72
2 Mississippi81
3 Nebraska67
6 Charlotte 48
3 Nebraska 75
2 Mississippi85*
2 Mississippi83
7 UC Santa Barbara 68
First round Second round Quarterfinals
         
1 Arizona State64
8 Alabama State 53
1 Arizona State65
4 Southern Illinois 51
4 Southern Illinois69
5 Oklahoma State 53
1 Arizona State 57
2 Florida70
3 Creighton74
6 Rhode Island 73
3 Creighton 54
2 Florida82
2 Florida73
7 San Diego State 49
First round Second round Quarterfinals
         
1 Syracuse87
8 Robert Morris 81
1 Syracuse88
5 Maryland 72
4 Minnesota 58
5 Maryland68
1 Syracuse 77
2 Massachusetts81
3 Florida State 60
6 Akron65*
6 Akron 63
2 Massachusetts68
2 Massachusetts80
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 State81
2 Mississippi 69
1 Ohio State92
2 Massachusetts 85
2 Florida 66
2 Massachusetts78

* - Overtime game.

See also

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References