The Hokies return to the National Invitational Tournament for the third year in a row and for the second time in that span as a #1 seed in an eight team bracket. The Hokies will face the quinnipiac bobcats (Connecticut) of the Northeast Conference at 7 PM at the Cassell on Wednesday night this week in the first ever meeting between the schools.
Tech was also a #1 in the 2008 NIT and lost in the quarterfinals to mississippi after winning two games over morgan state and uab. VT was a #2 seed last year and lost in the Second Round to baylor. All five of Tech’s teams in the NIT in the last two years have been played at the Cassell and they will likely have their first three games at home if they can keep winning. Tech was 15-1 at home this year.
Here is what Tech’s eight team bracket looks like:
- VIRGINIA TECH vs #8 quinnipiac (CT)
- rhode island vs #7 northwestern
- wichita state vs #6 nevada
- uconn vs #5 northeastern
Yes, that’s right, when the Hokies maul the bobcats, they should face the uconn huskies in the Second Round at the Cassell. At least that should motivate the team and the fans. Tech was 1-6 against uconn while in the Big East, with the one win coming over an 18th ranked uconn team at the Cassell in 2003 in what may have been ricky stokes’s biggest win (that’s a pretty short list). So the Hokies will have to win the Connecticut state title in all likelihood to make the NIT quarterfinals.
Other #1 seeds include illinois, arizona state, and mississippi state. cincinnati, ole miss, rhode island, and X are #2 seeds. unc is a #4 seed and play #5 seed william & mary in the First Round. nc state is a #6 seed. And seton hall who many thought were right on the bubble, are just a #5 seed. gus gilchrist usf is a #3 seed. st. john’s, Seth Greenberg’s alleged suitor, is a #6 seed.
The ESPNU guy that broke down the NIT brackets picked rhode island to win VT’s bracket. He picked illinois to win it all.
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