The 2019 NIT bracket is set with the Indiana Hoosiers, TCU Horned Frogs, UNC Greensboro Spartans and Alabama Crimson Tide as No. 1 seeds.
When it comes to March Madness and postseason college basketball, there’s no doubt that making the NCAA Tournament is the ultimate goal. However, only 68 teams earn a berth to play for the national title. As such, some teams are left to play in proverbial consolation games. Of the games and tournaments fitting that mold, there’s no doubt that the NIT is the most prestigious of them.
Though that might sound like a backhanded compliment, the NIT still offers teams and players the opportunity to get something for their trophy cases. And, for all intents and purposes, the way that the four top seeds in the tournament are decided is fitting. The First Four Out from the NCAA Tournament are given that honor.
Subsequently, that left the Indiana Hoosiers, UNC Greensboro Spartans, Alabama Crimson Tide and TCU Horned Frogs as the top seeds for the NIT in 2019. These teams just missed out on the NCAA Tournament, but they’ll keep their seasons going in another tournament instead.
Though those teams earned the No. 1 seeds, there are still plenty of other notable teams that will be playing in the tournament with those four. For instance, the likes of the Texas Longhorns, NC State Wolfpack, Mike Daum and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Georgetown Hoyas, Loyola-Chicago Ramblers and even the Memphis Tigers. Put simply, there’s still some brand name college basketball programs alive in this tournament.
With that in mind, let’s take a look a the 2019 NIT bracket. For a printable version, click on the image below and you’ll be taken to it:
Though there are always upsets in March Madness, they always seem to be rampant in the NIT bracket. These teams are all evenly matched, much more so than some in the NCAA Tournament. As such, this could be a fun group of teams to watch go at it as some supplementary postseason college hoops action.