2007 National Invitation Tournament

The 2007 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams which did not participate in the 2007 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The West Virginia University Mountaineers won the 2007 NIT.

2007 National Invitation Tournament
Season2006–07
Teams32
Finals siteMadison Square Garden
New York City
ChampionsWest Virginia Mountaineers (2nd title)
Runner-upClemson Tigers (2nd title game)
Semifinalists
Winning coachJohn Beilein (1st title)
MVPFrank Young (West Virginia)
National Invitation Tournaments
«2006 2008»

The participating teams were selected by the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) selection committee using numerous resources such as computer rankings, results (head-to-head, chronological, last 10 games played, non-conference), and polls.[1] The first round, second round, and quarterfinal games are held at the home court of the higher seed. The semifinal and final round are played at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The 32 participating teams were announced on March 11, 2007.[2] This is the first time since the NIT began seeding that all of the #1 seeds made the Final Four. Not only that, but both of the semifinal matches between the #1 seeds were one point games.

Selected teams

Automatic qualifiers

The following teams were automatic qualifiers for the 2007 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
Austin Peay Ohio Valley 21–11 2nd 2004
Delaware State MEAC 21–12 2nd 2006
East Tennessee State Atlantic Sun 24–9 2nd 1983
Marist MAAC 24–8 2nd 1996
Mississippi Valley State SWAC 18–15 1st Never
South Alabama Sun Belt 20–11 5th 2001
Toledo MAC 23–9 7th 2004
Vermont America East 25–7 1st Never

Thirty-two NCAA Division I teams participated in the 2007 NIT, reduced from the prior years' 40.[3] Teams are chosen by the NIT selection committee based on numerous resources, including "computer rankings, head-to-head results, chronological results, Division I results, non-conference results, home and away results, results in the last 10 games, polls and the coaches' regional advisory committee's rankings".[1] The teams are then seeded according to the NIT's procedures for seeding teams. The teams are then placed into four regions: East, South, West, and North.[1][4]

East Region
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 West Virginia Big East 22–9 At-large bid
2 Oklahoma State Big 12 22–12 At-large bid
3 Drexel CAA 23–8 At-large bid
4 UMass A-10 23–8 At-large bid
5 Alabama SEC 20–11 At-large bid
6 NC State ACC 18–15 At-large bid
7 Marist MAAC 24–8 Automatic
8 Delaware State MEAC 21–12 Automatic
South Region
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Clemson ACC 21–10 At-large bid
2 Syracuse Big East 22–10 At-large bid
3 Missouri State MVC 22–10 At-large bid
4 Ole Miss SEC 20–12 At-large bid
5 Appalachian State SoCon 25–7 At-large bid
6 San Diego State MWC 21–10 At-large bid
7 South Alabama Sun Belt 20–11 Automatic
8 East Tennessee State A-Sun 24–9 Automatic
West Region
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Air Force MWC 23–8 At-large bid
2 Kansas State Big 12 22–11 At-large bid
3 DePaul Big East 18–13 At-large bid
4 Georgia SEC 18–13 At-large bid
5 Fresno State WAC 22–9 At-large bid
6 Hofstra CAA 22–9 At-large bid
7 Vermont America East 25–7 Automatic
8 Austin Peay OVC 21–11 Automatic
North Region
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Mississippi State SEC 18–13 At-large bid
2 Florida State ACC 20–12 At-large bid
3 Michigan Big Ten 21–12 At-large bid
4 Bradley MVC 21–12 At-large bid
5 Providence Big East 18–12 At-large bid
6 Utah State WAC 23–11 At-large bid
7 Toledo MAC 19–12 Automatic
8 Mississippi Valley State SWAC 18–15 Automatic

First round

The first round took place on March 13, 2007, and March 14, 2007. The higher-seeded team hosted each game.[2]

March 13, 2007
Region Home Team Score Away Team Venue
North Mississippi State Bulldogs 82–63 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils Humphrey Coliseum – Starkville, MS
North Michigan Wolverines 68–58 Utah State Aggies Crisler Arena – Ann Arbor, MI
North Florida State Seminoles 77–61 Toledo Rockets Donald L. Tucker Center – Tallahassee, FL
East West Virginia Mountaineers 74–50 Delaware State Hornets WVU Coliseum – Morgantown, WV
East Massachusetts Minutemen 89–87 Alabama Crimson Tide Mullins Center – Amherst, MA
East Drexel Dragons 56–63 NC State Wolfpack Daskalakis Athletic Center – Philadelphia, PA
East Oklahoma State Cowboys 64–67 Marist Red Foxes Gallagher-Iba Arena – Stillwater, OK
March 14, 2007
Region Home Team Score Away Team Venue
North Bradley Braves 90–78 Providence Friars Carver Arena – Peoria, IL
West Air Force Falcons 75–51 Austin Peay Governors Clune Arena – Colorado Springs, CO
West Georgia Bulldogs 88–78 Fresno State Bulldogs Stegeman Coliseum – Athens, GA
West DePaul Blue Demons 83–71 Hofstra Pride McGrath Arena – Chicago, IL[5][6]
West Kansas State Wildcats 59–57 Vermont Catamounts Bramlage Coliseum – Manhattan, KS
South Clemson Tigers 64–57 East Tennessee State Buccaneers Littlejohn Coliseum – Clemson, SC
South Ole Miss Rebels 73–59 Appalachian State Mountaineers Tad Smith Coliseum – Oxford, MS
South Missouri State Bears 70–74 San Diego State Aztecs Hammons Student Center – Springfield, MO
South Syracuse Orange 79–73 South Alabama Jaguars Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY

Second round

The second round took place March 15, 2007, through March 19, 2007. The higher-seeded team hosted the game.[2]

Second Round
Date Region Home Team Score Away Team Venue
3/15 North Florida State Seminoles 87–66 Michigan Wolverines Donald L. Tucker Center – Tallahassee, FL
3/15 East West Virginia Mountaineers 90–77 Massachusetts Minutemen WVU Coliseum – Morgantown, WV
3/16 East NC State Wolfpack 69–62 Marist Red Foxes Reynolds Coliseum – Raleigh, NC*
3/17 North Mississippi State Bulldogs 101–72 Bradley Braves Humphrey Coliseum – Starkville, MS
3/19 West Air Force Falcons 83–52 Georgia Bulldogs Clune Arena – Colorado Springs, CO
3/19 West Kansas State Wildcats 65–70 DePaul Blue Demons Bramlage Coliseum – Manhattan, KS
3/19 South Clemson Tigers 89–68 Ole Miss Rebels Littlejohn Coliseum – Clemson, SC
3/19 South Syracuse Orange 80–64 San Diego State Aztecs Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY**

*Under normal circumstances, the RBC Center would be used as NC State's home court, but a concert was scheduled that night at that facility, forcing the Wolfpack to use their older arena (still regularly in use for women's basketball), Reynolds Coliseum.

**A new attendance record for a NIT game was set at the Syracuse–San Diego State game in the Carrier Dome. Syracuse won the game 80–64 with the attendance total of 26,752.The old record of 23,522 was set by Kentucky in 1979.

Quarterfinals

The quarterfinals round took place March 20, 2007, and March 21, 2007. (March 22 was reserved as a backup date in case of scheduling conflicts, but none arose.) The higher-seeded team hosted each game.[2]

Quarterfinals
Date Region Home Team Score Away Team Venue
3/20 East West Virginia Mountaineers 71–66 NC State Wolfpack WVU Coliseum – Morgantown, WV
3/20 North Mississippi State Bulldogs 86–71 Florida State Seminoles Humphrey Coliseum – Starkville, MS
3/21 West Air Force Falcons 52–51 DePaul Blue Demons Clune Arena – Colorado Springs, CO
3/21 South Clemson Tigers 74–70 Syracuse Orange Littlejohn Coliseum – Clemson, SC

Semifinals

The semifinals round took place March 27, 2007 at Madison Square Garden.[2]

Semifinals
Date Winner Score Opponent Venue
3/27 West Virginia Mountaineers 63–62 Mississippi State Bulldogs Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
3/27 Clemson Tigers 68–67 Air Force Falcons Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

Finals

The finals round took place March 29, 2007 at Madison Square Garden.[2]

Championship
Date Winner Score Opponent Venue
3/29 West Virginia Mountaineers 78–73 Clemson Tigers Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

The post-tournament celebration by the Mountaineers was overshadowed by a typographical error on the championship T-shirt, on which the school name was rendered as WEST VIRGINA.[7] The vendor, 6th Man Sportswear, apologized for this mistake, and corrected the spelling for all T-shirts except those 25 printed for the team in preparation for a victory.[8]

Bracket

East Region
First Round Second Round Quarterfinals
         
1 West Virginia 74
8 Delaware State 50
1 West Virginia 90
4 Massachusetts 77
4 Massachusetts 89
5 Alabama 87
1 West Virginia 71
6 North Carolina State 66
3 Drexel 56
6 North Carolina State 63
6 North Carolina State 69
7 Marist 62
2 Oklahoma State 64
7 Marist 67

South Region
First Round Second Round Quarterfinals
         
1 Clemson 64
8 East Tennessee State 57
1 Clemson 89
4 Mississippi 68
4 Mississippi 73
5 Appalachian State 59
1 Clemson 74
2 Syracuse 70
3 Missouri State 70
6 San Diego State 74
6 San Diego State 64
2 Syracuse 80
2 Syracuse 79
7 South Alabama 73

West Region
First Round Second Round Quarterfinals
         
1 Air Force 75
8 Austin Peay 51
1 Air Force 83
4 Georgia 52
4 Georgia 88
5 Fresno State 78
1 Air Force 52
3 DePaul 51
3 DePaul 83
6 Hofstra 71
3 DePaul 70
2 Kansas State 65
2 Kansas State 59
7 Vermont 57

North Region
First Round Second Round Quarterfinals
         
1 Mississippi State 82
8 Miss. Valley State 63
1 Mississippi State 101
4 Bradley 72
4 Bradley 90
5 Providence 78
1 Mississippi State 86
2 Florida State 71
3 Michigan 68
6 Utah State 58
3 Michigan 66
2 Florida State 87
2 Florida State 77
7 Toledo 61

Semifinals and Finals
Semifinals Finals
      
1 West Virginia 63
1 Mississippi State 62
1 West Virginia 78
1 Clemson 73
1 Clemson 68
1 Air Force 67

See also

References
  1. "National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Principles and Procedures for Establishing the Bracket". National Invitation Tournament. Archived from the original on January 17, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
  2. "70th Annual National Invitation Tournament". National Invitation Tournament. Archived from the original on January 13, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
  3. "N.I.T. Sets Its Field of 32". Associated Press. March 12, 2007. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
  4. "National Invitation Tournament". National Invitation Tournament. Archived from the original on March 9, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
  5. DePaul normally plays non-exhibition games at Allstate Arena, but due to a scheduling conflict, DePaul played on campus at McGrath Arena.
  6. Lew Freedman (March 11, 2007). "NIT's fine with DePaul". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
  7. "Typo creates controversy at 'West Virgina'". ESPN.com. March 30, 2007. Retrieved April 3, 2007.
  8. "'West Virgina' NIT Tournament Champions Tee Shirt: If 'I' Did It". 6thManSportswear.com. Archived from the original on April 10, 2007. Retrieved April 3, 2007.
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