2011 National Invitation Tournament

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.

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»

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

• 2011 Women's National Invitation Tournament
• 2011 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 2011 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament
• 2011 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament
• 2011 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
• 2011 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament
• 2011 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament
• 2011 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 2011 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament
• 2011 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament
• 2011 NAIA Division II women's basketball tournament
• 2011 College Basketball Invitational
• 2011 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament

References