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Illinois State (22-10) at Dayton (20-12), 6 p.m. Northwestern (20-13) at Rhode Island (23-9), 6 p.m. Illinois (19-14) at Stony Brook (22-9), 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
The No. 1 seeds were Illinois, Arizona State, Virginia Tech and Mississippi State, which lost in overtime to Kentucky in the SEC title game on Sunday.
North Carolina was a No. 4 seed in the bracket released Sunday, the second time in the past three years that the defending national champion missed the NCAA tournament. Florida also played in the NIT in 2008 after winning the title.
Connecticut is the other blueblood relegated to the NIT, also picked as a fourth seed after a trying season in which coach Jim Calhoun missed time with a medical condition.
The tournament begins March 16 at campus sites. The championship game is April 1 at Madison Square Garden.
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People if you don't like the NIT don't watch it and wait for the football season. When I don't like something, I don't watch it. If the Illinois team and coach doesn't make you happy, then be like a true Cubbie fan and wait until next year and if that don't make you happy wait another year. I graduated from Illinois and I will support the team no matter where they play. I'm sure you cry babies out there didn't graduate from the U OF I. If you did you should be more loyal to your school and support them.
Rocket man, are you Eldon John, you seem to know as much about basketball as he does. Let me see North Carolina, Connecticut, Memphis, Arizona State, Virginia Tech, UBA, Illinois and Dayton probably don't agree with you. These teams could beat over 20 teams in that joke called the NCAA tournament. When you don't take the top 64 teams and fill it teams that couldn't even beat a Michigan, Northwestern or Illinois state, makes this tournament 2ND rate.
Illinois played 15 games against teams in the tournament. Ten of their loses came to teams in the NCAA tournament. Their last 12 games were against 11 of the tournament teams all ranked ahead of them in the polls. 5 wins against tournament teams, lose to the #4 team in double overtime, while a team they finished ahead of in the conference and a team who lost 2 of their last 5 games by almost 60 points. Only 6 games that Illinois played this year weren't decided until the final minutes. How many Seniors did Illinois have, they could of had 1 major one Jamar Smith, if he hadn't screw up. Could you imagine this team with Smith.
Congrats to the Illini! They got screwed by the NCAA and can enjoy the Big Apple when they win it all. You are such fair weather fans. This team is ALL back next year and we have a great freshman class coming in! Go Illini! McCamey will be stellar and Weber is a good coach. ILLINI!
ChiliMac, they have no chance in the NIT either. They will only embarrass themselves further.
It is truly pathetic how the Illini Faithful turn an eternally blind eye to the inadequacies of their teams' coaches. Weber and Zook continue to turn out inferior products and should be sacked. And they would be if the media and enough alumni turned up the heat on Guenther.
I realize I'm in the minority here but I'd rather have my team in the NIT with a chance to win then in the NCAA where a loss is almost guaranteed.
Timo, easy with the disrespect for Northwestern. They did beat the Illini once and won 20 games.
What do expect with freshman guards ? Thank God we 're not DePaul! or Loyola or N W.
illini,cubs,blackhawks,bears,bulls. i'm totally disgusted!
I can't believe this team accepted a bid to the Not Invited Tourney. Things are going downhill quickly.
How about getting Bobby Knight to come coach the Illini?
Could we get a new coach please????
I-L-L...NIT! I-L-L...LOL!