The Preseason NIT field and locations have been known, but not the match-ups or seedings. Well the NIT has released the schedule (PDF). The top four seeds are Purdue, Oklahoma, Arizona and Boston College*North BracketThere are consolation games, including a runner-up battle before the championship game at 1:30.
Monday, November 17, host and No. 1 seed, Purdue faces Eastern Michigan and will play the winner of Georgia-Loyola Chicago on the 18th.
*East Bracket
Monday, November 17, host and No. 4 seed, Boston College versus Loyola (Md.) and then goes against the winner of St. John's-Cornell.
*North and East champs will play each other on Wednesday, November 26 at Madison Square Garden.
*South Bracket
Monday, November 17, host and No. 2 seed, Oklahoma plays Mississippi Valley State and will get the winner of Davidson-James Madison.
*West Bracket
Monday, November 17, host and No. 3 seed Arizona goes against Florida Atlantic and then faces the winner of UAB-Santa Clara.
*South and West champs will play each other on Wednesday, November 26 at Madison Square Garden.
*Championship game is Friday, November 28, afternoon game at 3:30 on ESPN2, the day after Thanksgiving..
Just eyeballing the games in the first couple rounds, it's hard to see a Gardner Webb over Kentucky scenario -- but then no one saw that scenario until it happened. Arizona would seem the most likely, based on the turmoil and turnover from last year. Still, hard to envision, though, Arizona looks to have the toughest game in the second round with the winner of UAB-Santa Clara.
Assuming Davidson beats James Madison, the Oklahoma-Davidson will be the most hyped game with Stephen Curry and Blake Griffin.
With most of the games being shown on the ESPN networks, the timing of the games makes sense. They scheduled around most of the college football still on the schedule. (Your choice. Colorado-Nebraska or Bowling Green-Toledo in college football or the pre-season NIT Championship game.)
It also provides a nice early treat for those who do whatever they can to avoid shopping on Black Friday.
