The 2008 NIT Season Tip-Off -- Preseason NIT to most of the college basketball world -- pits sixteen teams against each other in four regional brackets, with the winners of each advancing to
Madison Square Garden for the semifinals and finals.
Opening round games will be played on November 17. The regional championships will be played on November 18, and will all be broadcast on ESPN's networks as part of their season-opening college hoops marathon.
The "Final Four" at MSG will be played on November 26 and 28.
This years' tournament features one of the favorites to win the Big 10, one of the top power forwards in the nation, the darling of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, a hall of fame coach looking to bounce back, and -- just to confuse you -- two different Loyolas.
Here's a look at the seedings, brackets and matchups for the 2008 Preseason NIT.
East Regional
Host: Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
- (4) Boston College vs. (13) Loyola (MD)
- (8) St. John's vs. (9) Cornell
The BC Eagles were the ACC's cellar-dwellers last season, but they should hold serve in this bracket, led by guard Tyrese Rice, who is getting All-American nods in some publications. If the seedings hold, the Eagles will face a familiar foe from their Big East days, the Red Storm of St. John's, in the finals -- but the Johnnies may have a tough matchup with the 2008 Ivy League champs in the opener.
North Regional
Host: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
- (1) Purdue vs. (14) Eastern Michigan
- (6) Georgia vs. (10) Loyola Chicago
The Boilermakers snuck up on people last season -- this year they'll be the co-favorites (with Michigan State) in the Big 10, and likely have a top-ten ranking in the preseason polls. They shouldn't have much trouble in this bracket, with their stiffest challenge coming from a Georgia team nearly got coach Dennis Felton fired last season before their stunning run in the SEC Tournament.
South Regional
Host: University of Oklahoma , Norman, OK
- (2) Oklahoma vs. (16) Mississippi Valley State
- (5) Davidson vs. (12) James Madison
I'm hoping the seeds hold in this bracket, because the potential Oklahoma/Davidson matchup is really intriguing. Oklahoma's power forward Blake Griffin would have been a top-ten pick in last year's NBA draft -- and Davidson guard Stephen Curry never misses. That clash of styles should make for a tremendously entertaining game. Oklahoma's big-talking freshman guard
Willie Warren could tip the scales in favor of the Sooners.
South Regional
Host: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
- (3) Arizona vs. (15) Florida Atlantic
- (7) Alabama-Birmingham vs. (11) Santa Clara
Lots of interesting stories in this bracket --
Lute Olson returns to the bench after a year's hiatus, facing Florida Atlantic, led by their controversial hire, ex-St. John's coach
Mike Jarvis. The other game features high-scoring wingman Robert Vaden of UAB. The final could pit Vaden against Arizona's Chase Budinger in a matchup of players who probably thought they'd be in the NBA by now.
