Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Arizona, Duke, Alabama & Rutgers Headline 2013 NIT Season Tip-Off
Arizona (Pac-12), Duke (ACC), Alabama (SEC) and Rutgers (American Athletic) are the top four seeds for the 2013 NIT Season Tip-Off field, as announced by NIT selection committee chair C.M. Newton.
Assuming those four teams win their brackets, Rutgers would face Arizona in one semifinal and Duke would meet Alabama in the other. The final could be a delicious matchup between Duke and Arizona.
The 29th annual tournament will also feature number five-seed Rhode Island (Atlantic 10), six-seed Elon (Southern), seven-seed East Carolina (Conference USA) and eight-seed Drexel (Colonial). Canisius (Metro Atlantic), Fairleigh Dickinson (Northeast), Georgia State (Sun Belt), McNeese State (Southland), Metro State (RMAC), Norfolk State (MEAC), UNC-Asheville (Big South) and Stillman (SIAC) complete the field.
“Year after year the NIT Season Tip-Off proves to be a showcase for outstanding teams, and this year is no different,” said Newton, a member of the Naismith Hall of Fame and in his ninth year as chair of the NIT. “We won’t be surprised at all to see these teams competing deep in the NCAA Championship come March.”
The first and second-round doubleheaders will be played Nov. 18 and 19 on the campuses of the four highest-seeded teams — Arizona, Duke, Alabama and Rutgers. The winners of the preliminary rounds advance to the semifinals at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Nov. 27. The consolation and championship games will be played Nov. 29.
The remaining teams will play third and fourth-round doubleheaders Nov. 25 and 26 on the campuses of the three highest remaining seeds. Participating teams will not play any team twice and the third and fourth-rounds will be assigned to the most geographically compatible site possible.
The sites and pairings are as follows:
REGION
LOCATION
VENUE
MATCHUPS
West
Tucson, Ariz.
McKale Center
Arizona vs. Fairleigh Dickinson | Rhode Island vs. Metro State
East
Durham, N.C.
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Duke vs. UNC-Asheville | East Carolina vs. Norfolk State
South
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Coleman Coliseum
Alabama vs. Stillman | Georgia State vs. McNeese State
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Arizona (Pac-12), Duke (ACC), Alabama (SEC) and Rutgers (American Athletic) are the top four seeds for the 2013 NIT Season Tip-Off field, as announced by NIT selection committee chair C.M. Newton.
Assuming those four teams win their brackets, Rutgers would face Arizona in one semifinal and Duke would meet Alabama in the other. The final could be a delicious matchup between Duke and Arizona.
The 29th annual tournament will also feature number five-seed Rhode Island (Atlantic 10), six-seed Elon (Southern), seven-seed East Carolina (Conference USA) and eight-seed Drexel (Colonial). Canisius (Metro Atlantic), Fairleigh Dickinson (Northeast), Georgia State (Sun Belt), McNeese State (Southland), Metro State (RMAC), Norfolk State (MEAC), UNC-Asheville (Big South) and Stillman (SIAC) complete the field.
“Year after year the NIT Season Tip-Off proves to be a showcase for outstanding teams, and this year is no different,” said Newton, a member of the Naismith Hall of Fame and in his ninth year as chair of the NIT. “We won’t be surprised at all to see these teams competing deep in the NCAA Championship come March.”
The first and second-round doubleheaders will be played Nov. 18 and 19 on the campuses of the four highest-seeded teams — Arizona, Duke, Alabama and Rutgers. The winners of the preliminary rounds advance to the semifinals at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Nov. 27. The consolation and championship games will be played Nov. 29.
The remaining teams will play third and fourth-round doubleheaders Nov. 25 and 26 on the campuses of the three highest remaining seeds. Participating teams will not play any team twice and the third and fourth-rounds will be assigned to the most geographically compatible site possible.
The sites and pairings are as follows:
