2008 National Invitation Tournament
Season | 2007–08 | ||||
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Teams | 32 | ||||
Finals site | Madison Square Garden New York City | ||||
Champions | Ohio State (2nd title) | ||||
Runner-up | Massachusetts (1st title game) | ||||
Semifinalists |
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Winning coach | Thad Matta (1st title) | ||||
MVP | Kosta Koufos (Ohio State) | ||||
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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.
The Ohio State Buckeyes won the tournament.
Selection Committee
[edit ]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
[edit ]Automatic qualifiers
[edit ]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
[edit ]
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Bracket
[edit ]^ Game played at nearby St. John Arena due to a Bruce Springsteen concert at Value City Arena.
Semifinals and Final
[edit ]Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 1 and 3
* - Overtime game.
See also
[edit ]- 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 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament
- 2008 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament
- 2008 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
- 2008 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament
- 2008 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament
- 2008 NAIA Division II women's basketball tournament
- 2008 College Basketball Invitational
References
[edit ]- 2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
- 2008 in sports in New York City
- 2000s in Manhattan
- April 2008 sports events in the United States
- Basketball in New York City
- College sports in New York City
- March 2008 sports events in the United States
- National Invitation Tournament
- Sports competitions in New York City
- Sports in Manhattan