The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team withdrew itself from consideration for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) a day after it was revealed that they were among 17 men’s basketball teams to decline an invitation to the tournament. This decision comes amidst a backdrop of upsets and thrilling finishes in the first round of the 2024 NIT Tournament. Despite St. Bonaventure’s absence, defending champion UConn, along with Houston, Purdue, and UNC, have secured No. 1 seeds in the 68-team field of the NIT. The tournament, which will begin this week with 32 teams vying for the championship, will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN.

St. Bonaventure’s Withdrawal and the NIT Tournament

The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team has decided to withdraw from the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), declining an invitation to compete in the tournament. This decision aligns with the choices made by 17 other men’s basketball teams who also opted out of participating in the NIT. The NIT is an annual postseason tournament organized by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) for teams that were not selected to participate in the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. St. Bonaventure’s withdrawal comes amidst a backdrop of excitement and surprises in the first round of the 2024 NIT Tournament.

Defending champion UConn, as well as Houston, Purdue, and UNC, have secured No. 1 seeds in the 68-team field of the NIT. This completes the roster of teams participating in the tournament, with 32 teams set to take the court this week for a chance to compete in the championship. The NIT is being exclusively broadcasted on ESPN, which has the rights to air all 31 games of the tournament, starting from the first round and continuing through to the end.

While St. Bonaventure’s decision to decline the NIT bid is notable, the university and the NCAA have not provided further details on the reasons behind this choice. This news, along with the graphic that aired during the opening night of the tournament, indicating that St. Bonaventure was one of the 17 teams to decline the invitation, has sparked interest and discussion among basketball enthusiasts.

As the NIT tournament progresses, fans and experts will continue to monitor the performances and outcomes of the participating teams. The absence of notable programs like St. Bonaventure, Seton Hall, Wake Forest, Indiana State, and Villanova from the NCAA tournament has further fueled intrigue around the NIT. Simultaneously, the WNIT has also announced the 48 teams that will be competing in its tournament, adding to the excitement and anticipation of postseason college basketball.

Summary:

• The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team has withdrawn from the NIT, joining 17 other teams that declined the invitation.
• Defending champion UConn, Houston, Purdue, and UNC secured No. 1 seeds in the 68-team field of the NIT.
• The NIT tournament began this week with 32 teams competing for the championship.
• ESPN is the exclusive broadcaster of all 31 games of the NIT.
• The reasons behind St. Bonaventure’s withdrawal remain undisclosed.
• The WNIT has also announced the 48 teams participating in its tournament.

Citations:
– “NIT bracket 2024: Tournament schedule, scores, dates, times as VCU upsets No. 1 seed Villanova” – espn.com
– “UConn earns No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament: Full March Madness bracket reaction and analysis” – cbssports.com
– “Seton Hall, Wake Forest among No. 1 seeds in NIT” – bigten.org
– “2024 WNIT basketball tournament schedule, scores, dates, and times” – ncaa.com