Scan through the teams in the 2011 National Invitation Tournament and the first thing a New York-New Jersey area sports fans will notice is the distinct lack of regional teams in this year's event. Of course, with a record-smashing 11 teams in the NCAA Tournament and two more (Hofstra, St. Bonaventure) in the College Basketball Invitational, there are not that many quality local teams left who might be tournament-worthy.
Nonetheless, the NIT begins on Tuesday with first-round games. It concludes with the semifinals at Madison Square Garden on March 29 at 7 and 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2) and the finals on March 31 at the Garden (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
The two No. 1 seeds are Boston College and Alabama.
Tournament Schedule:
- March 15-16: First Round, various ESPNs, home locations
- March 18-21: Second Round, various ESPNs, home locations
- March 22 (ESPN), 23 (ESPN2): Quarterfinals, 7 pm and 9 pm, home locations
- March 29: Semifinals, 7 pm and 9:30 pm, ESPN2, Madison Square Garden
- March 31: Championship Game, 7 pm, ESPN2, Madison Square Garden
Left bracket:
- No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 8 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Tuesday at 7 pm, ESPNU
- No. 4 New Mexico Lobos vs. No. 5 UTEP Miners, Tuesday at 9 pm, ESPN2
- No. 3 Missouri State Bears vs. No. 6 Murray State Racers, Tuesday at 8 pm, ESPN3
- No. 2 Miami Hurricanes vs. No. 7 Florida Atlantic Owls, Wednesday at 7:30 pm, ESPN3
- No. 1 Colorado Buffaloes vs. No. 8 Texas Southern, Wednesday at 7 pm, ESPN3
- No. 4 California Golden Bears vs. No. 5 Mississippi Rebels, Wednesday at 9 pm, ESPN2
- No. 3 Colorado St. Rams vs. No. 6 Fairfield Stags, Tuesday at 9 pm, ESPN3
- No. 2 St. Mary's Gaels vs. No. 7 Kent St. Golden Flashes, Tuesday at 11 pm, ESPN2
Right bracket:
- No. 1 Boston College Eagles vs. 8 McNeese St. Cowboys, Tuesday at 9 pm, ESPNU
- No. 4 Northwestern Wildcats vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Panthers, Wednesday at 8 pm, ESPN3
- No. 3 Oklahoma St. Cowboys vs. No. 6 Harvard Crimson, Tuesday at 7 pm, ESPN
- No. 2 Washington St. Cougars vs. No. 7 Long Beach St. 49ers, Wednesday at 10 pm, ESPNU
- No. 1 Virginia Tech Hokies vs. No. 8 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, Wednesday at 8 pm, ESPNU
- No. 4 Wichita St. Shockers vs. No. 5 Nebraska Cornhuskers, Wednesday at 7 pm, ESPN2
- No. 3 Dayton Flyers vs. No. 6 Charleston Cougars, Tuesday at 7 pm, ESPN2
- No. 2 Cleveland St. Vikings vs. No. 7 Vermont Catamounts, Tuesday at 7 pm, ESPN3