2011 National Invitation Tournament

2011 National Invitation Tournament
Season2010–11
Teams32
Finals siteMadison Square Garden
New York City
ChampionsWichita State Shockers (1st title)
Runner-upAlabama Crimson Tide (2nd title game)
Semifinalists
Winning coachGregg Marshall (1st title)
MVPGraham Hatch (Wichita State)
National Invitation Tournaments
«2010 2012»

The 2011 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 NCAA Division I teams that were not selected to participate in the 2011 NCAA tournament. The 74th annual tournament began March 15 on campus sites ended on March 31 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Wichita State defeated Alabama, 66–57, to win its first NIT title.

Participants

Automatic qualifiers

The following teams are automatic qualifiers for the 2011 NIT field; by virtue of winning their conferences' regular season championship and not qualifying for the NCAA tournament as an "at-large" bid.

Team Conference Record Appearance Last bid
Bethune–Cookman MEAC 21–12 1st Never
Coastal Carolina Big South 28–5 2nd 2010
College of Charleston Southern 24–10 4th 2003
Fairfield MAAC 24–7 6th 2003
Florida Atlantic Sun Belt 21–10 1st Never
Kent State MAC 23–11 9th 2010
Long Beach State Big West 22–11 6th 2000
McNeese State Southland 21–11 3rd 2001
Milwaukee Horizon 19–13 2nd 2004
Missouri State Missouri Valley 25–8 9th 2007
Murray State Ohio Valley 23–8 7th 1996
Saint Mary's West Coast 25–8 2nd 2009
Texas Southern SWAC 19–12 1st Never
Vermont America East 23–8 2nd 2007

At-large bids

The following 18 teams were also awarded NIT berths.

Team Conference Record Appearance Last bid
Alabama SEC 21–11 11th 2007
Boston College ACC 20–12 11th 2003
California Pac-10 17–14 7th 2008
Cleveland State Horizon 26–8 4th 2008
Colorado Big 12 21–13 9th 2006
Colorado State Mountain West 19–12 7th 1999
Dayton Atlantic 10 22–13 23rd 2010
Harvard Ivy 23–6 1st Never
Miami (FL) ACC 19–14 10th 2009
Nebraska Big 12 19–12 17th 2009
New Mexico Mountain West 21–12 19th 2009
Northwestern Big Ten 18–13 6th 2010
Oklahoma State Big 12 19–13 11th 2008
Ole Miss SEC 20–13 10th 2010
UTEP C-USA 25–9 9th 2006
Virginia Tech ACC 21–11 12th 2010
Washington State Pac-10 19–12 5th 2009
Wichita State Missouri Valley 24–8 12th 2010

Seeds

Alabama Bracket
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Alabama SEC 21–11 At-large
2 Miami (FL) ACC 19–14 At-large
3 Missouri State Missouri Valley 25–8 Automatic
4 New Mexico Mountain West 21–12 At-large
5 UTEP C-USA 25–9 At-large
6 Murray State Ohio Valley 23–8 Automatic
7 Florida Atlantic Sun Belt 21–10 Automatic
8 Coastal Carolina Big South 28–5 Automatic
Colorado Bracket
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Colorado Big 12 21–13 At-large
2 Saint Mary's West Coast 25–8 Automatic
3 Colorado State Mountain West 19–12 At-large
4 California Pac-10 17–14 At-large
5 Ole Miss SEC 20–13 At-large
6 Fairfield MAAC 24–7 Automatic
7 Kent State MAC 23–11 Automatic
8 Texas Southern SWAC 19–12 Automatic
Boston College Bracket
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Boston College ACC 20–12 At-large
2 Washington State Pac-10 19–12 At-large
3 Oklahoma State Big 12 19–13 At-large
4 Northwestern Big Ten 18–13 At-large
5 Milwaukee Horizon 19–13 Automatic
6 Harvard Ivy 23–6 At-large
7 Long Beach State Big West 22–11 Automatic
8 McNeese State Southland 21–11 Automatic
Virginia Tech Bracket
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Virginia Tech ACC 21–11 At-large
2 Cleveland State Horizon 26–8 At-large
3 Dayton Atlantic 10 22–13 At-large
4 Wichita State Missouri Valley 24–8 At-large
5 Nebraska Big 12 19–12 At-large
6 College of Charleston SoCon 24–10 Automatic
7 Vermont America East 23–8 Automatic
8 Bethune–Cookman MEAC 21–12 Automatic

Bracket

Played on the home court of the higher-seeded team
(except #1 Boston College & #3 Dayton in the first round)
* – Denotes overtime

Alabama bracket

First round
March 15–16 		Second round
March 18–21 		Quarterfinals
March 23
         
1 Alabama 68
8 Coastal Carolina 44
1 Alabama 74
4 New Mexico 67
4 New Mexico 69
5 UTEP 57
1 Alabama 79
2 Miami (FL) 64
3 Missouri State 89
6 Murray State 76
3 Missouri State 72
2 Miami (FL) 81
2 Miami (FL) 85
7 Florida Atlantic 62

Colorado bracket

First round
March 15–16 		Second round
March 18–21 		Quarterfinals
March 22
         
1 Colorado 88
8 Texas Southern 74
1 Colorado 89
4 California 72
4 California 77
5 Ole Miss 74
1 Colorado 81
7 Kent State 74
3 Colorado State 60
6 Fairfield 62
6 Fairfield 68
7 Kent State 72
2 Saint Mary's 70
7 Kent State 71

Boston College bracket

First round
March 15–16 		Second round
March 18–21 		Quarterfinals
March 23
         
1 Boston College 82
8 McNeese State 64
1 Boston College 67
4 Northwestern 85
4 Northwestern 70
5 Milwaukee 61
4 Northwestern 66
2 Washington State 69*
3 Oklahoma State 71
6 Harvard 54
3 Oklahoma State 64
2 Washington State 74
2 Washington State 85
7 Long Beach State 74

Virginia Tech bracket

First round
March 15–16 		Second round
March 18–21 		Quarterfinals
March 23
         
1 Virginia Tech 79
8 Bethune–Cookman 54
1 Virginia Tech 76
4 Wichita State 79*
4 Wichita State 76
5 Nebraska 49
4 Wichita State 82
6 College of Charleston 75
3 Dayton 84
6 College of Charleston 94
6 College of Charleston 64
2 Cleveland State 56
2 Cleveland State 63
7 Vermont 60

NIT Final Four

Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City

Semifinals
March 29 		Championship
March 31
      
1 Alabama 62
1 Colorado 61
1 Alabama 57
4 Wichita State 66
2 Washington State 44
4 Wichita State 75

See also

References