2011 National Invitation Tournament

2011 National Invitation Tournament
Season	2010–11
Teams	32
Finals site	Madison Square Garden; New York City
Champions	Wichita State Shockers (1st title)
Runner-up	Alabama Crimson Tide (2nd title game)
Semifinalists	Colorado Buffaloes (4th semifinal); Washington State Cougars (1st semifinal);
Winning coach	Gregg Marshall (1st title)
MVP	Graham 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

References