Mississippi State men’s basketball to face Virginia in NIT
STARKVILLE, Miss. (MSU Athletics) – Mississippi State’s men’s basketball program captured its fourth consecutive postseason appearance when postseason tournaments have been played as the Bulldogs will take on Virginia from the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Sunday by the NIT Selection Committee.
The Bulldogs (18-15) and Cavaliers (19-13) will meet during Wednesday’s NIT Round of 32. Tip time is slated for 6 p.m. CT from the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia due to the start of the Humphrey Coliseum renovation. The game will be televised by ESPN2 and streamed online courtesy of the Watch ESPN APP.
Mississippi State and Virginia are paired with North Texas from Conference USA and Texas State from the Sun Belt Conference in its four-team pod. The two winners will advance to the NIT Round of 16 on either March 19 or 20.
The winner from State’s four-team pod is paired with No. 1 seed Oklahoma, No. 4 seed Colorado, No. 5 St. Bonaventure and No. 8 seed Missouri State. The NIT Quarterfinals are set for March 22-23 followed by the 2022 NIT Final Four which returns to Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 29 and March 31.
Mississippi State is one of 10 SEC programs in postseason action. The Bulldogs are joined by Florida, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt in the NIT, while Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, LSU and Tennessee received bids to the NCAA Tournament.
In total, Mississippi State has notched 13 postseason appearances during the 2000s. The Bulldogs were the 2021 NIT Runner-Up and have made the 2018 NIT Final Four under head coach Ben Howland.
2022 NIT – Top Left Bracket – All times are central
(1) Dayton vs. (8) Toledo, Wednesday, March 16, 6 p.m. CT, ESPN+
(4) Vanderbilt vs. (5) Belmont, Tuesday, March 15, 6 p.m. CT, ESPN2
(3) Florida vs. (6) Iona, Wednesday, March 16, 8 p.m. CT, ESPN2
(2) Xavier vs. (7) Cleveland State, Tuesday, March 15, 8 p.m. CT, ESPNU
2022 NIT – Bottom Left Bracket – All times are central
(1) Oklahoma vs. (8) Missouri State, Tuesday, March 15, 6 p.m., ESPN
(4) Colorado vs. (5) St. Bonaventure, Tuesday, March 15, 10 p.m., ESPN2
(3) Mississippi State vs. (6) Virginia, Wednesday, March 16, 6 p.m., ESPN2
(2) North Texas vs. (7) Texas State, Tuesday, March 15, 7 p.m., ESPN+
2022 NIT – Top Right Bracket – All times are central
(1) SMU vs. (8) Nicholls State, Wednesday, March 16, 7 p.m., ESPN+
(4) Washington State vs. (5) Santa Clara, Tuesday, March 15, 10 p.m., ESPNU
(3) Saint Louis vs. (6) Northern Iowa, Wednesday, March 16, 7 p.m., ESPN+
(2) BYU vs. (7) Long Beach State, Wednesday, March 16, 8 p.m., ESPN+
2022 NIT – Bottom Right Bracket – All times are central
(1) Texas A&M vs. (8) Alcorn State, Tuesday, March 15, 8 p.m., ESPN2
(4) Utah State vs. (5) Oregon, Tuesday, March 15, 8 p.m. CT, ESPN
(3) Virginia Commonwealth vs. (6) Princeton, Tuesday, March 15, 6 p.m., ESPNU
(2) Wake Forest vs. (7) Towson, Wednesday, March 16, 6 p.m., ESPN+
