# 1998 National Invitation Tournament

The 1998 National Invitation Tournament was the 1997 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition. Minnesota's tournament victory was vacated as a result of numerous NCAA violations, including academic fraud, that took place under coach Clem Haskins. Kevin Clark also vacated his tournament Most Valuable Player award.

## Selected teams

Below is a list of the 32 teams selected for the tournament.
| School | Conference | Record | Appearance | Last bid |
| Arizona State | Pac-10 | 18–13 | 6th | 1994 |
| Auburn | SEC | 15–13 | 4th | 1996 |
| Ball State | MAC | 21–7 | 3rd | 1992 |
| Colorado State | WAC | 20–8 | 5th | 1996 |
| Creighton | Missouri Valley | 18–9 | 6th | 1990 |
| Dayton | Atlantic 10 | 20–11 | 18th | 1986 |
| Florida | SEC | 14–14 | 7th | 1993 |
| Fresno State | WAC | 18–11 | 6th | 1997 |
| Georgetown | Big East | 15–14 | 6th | 1993 |
| Georgia | SEC | 16–14 | 8th | 1995 |
| Georgia Tech | ACC | 17–13 | 5th | 1994 |
| Gonzaga | West Coast | 23–9 | 3rd | 1996 |
| Hawaii | WAC | 19–8 | 6th | 1997 |
| Iowa | Big Ten | 20–10 | 2nd | 1995 |
| Kansas State | Big 12 | 17–11 | 4th | 1994 |
| LIU Brooklyn | NEC | 21–10 | 10th | 1982 |
| Marquette | C-USA | 18–10 | 12th | 1995 |
| Memphis | C-USA | 16–11 | 13th | 1997 |
| Minnesota | Big Ten | 15–15 | 8th | 1996 |
| Missouri | Big 12 | 17–14 | 5th | 1996 |
| NC State | ACC | 16–14 | 7th | 1997 |
| Pacific | Big West | 23–9 | 1st | Never |
| Penn State | Big Ten | 15–12 | 7th | 1995 |
| Rider | MAAC | 18–9 | 1st | Never |
| Seton Hall | Big East | 15–14 | 12th | 1995 |
| Southern Miss | C-USA | 22–10 | 7th | 1995 |
| St. Bonaventure | Atlantic 10 | 17–14 | 13th | 1995 |
| UAB | C-USA | 20–11 | 7th | 1997 |
| UNC Wilmington | Colonial | 20–10 | 1st | Never |
| Vanderbilt | SEC | 18–12 | 7th | 1996 |
| Wake Forest | ACC | 15–13 | 3rd | 1985 |
| Wyoming | WAC | 19–8 | 5th | 1991 |

## Bracket

Below are the four first round brackets, along with the four-team championship bracket.
| First Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Wake Forest | Wake Forest | 56 | | | | | | |
| UNC Wilmington | UNC Wilmington | 52 | | | | | | |
| UNC Wilmington | UNC Wilmington | 52 | Wake Forest | Wake Forest | 68 | | | |
| | | | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt | 72 | | | |
| Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt | 73 | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt | 72 | | | |
| St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure | 61 | | | | | | |
| St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure | 61 | | | | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt | 65 |
| | | | | | | Georgia | Georgia | 79 |
| Georgia | Georgia | 100 | | | | | | | Georgia | Georgia | 79 |
| Iowa | Iowa | 93 | | | | | | |
| Iowa | Iowa | 93 | Georgia | Georgia | 61 | | | |
| | | | NC State | NC State | 55 | | | |
| NC State | NC State | 59 | NC State | NC State | 55 | | | |
| Kansas State | Kansas State | 39 | | | | | | |
| First Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Penn State | Penn State | 82 | | | | | | |
| Rider | Rider | 68 | | | | | | |
| Rider | Rider | 68 | Penn State | Penn State | 77 | | | |
| | | | Dayton | Dayton | 74 | | | |
| Dayton | Dayton | 95 | Dayton | Dayton | 74 | | | |
| LIU | LIU | 92 | | | | | | |
| LIU | LIU | 92 | | | | Penn State | Penn State | 77 |
| | | | | | | Georgia Tech | Georgia Tech | 70 |
| Georgetown | Georgetown | 71 | | | | | | | Georgia Tech | Georgia Tech | 70 |
| Florida | Florida | 69 | | | | | | |
| Florida | Florida | 69 | Georgetown | Georgetown | 79 | | | |
| | | | Georgia Tech | Georgia Tech | 80 | | | |
| Georgia Tech | Georgia Tech | 88 | Georgia Tech | Georgia Tech | 80 | | | |
| Seton Hall | Seton Hall | 70 | | | | | | |
| First Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Hawaii | Hawaii | 90 | | | | | | |
| Arizona State | Arizona State | 73 | | | | | | |
| Arizona State | Arizona State | 73 | Hawaii | Hawaii | 78 | | | |
| | | | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | 70 | | | |
| Gonzaga | Gonzaga | 69 | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | 70 | | | |
| Wyoming | Wyoming | 55 | | | | | | |
| Wyoming | Wyoming | 55 | | | | Hawaii | Hawaii | 83 |
| | | | | | | Fresno State | Fresno State | 85 |
| Fresno State | Fresno State | 73 | | | | | | | Fresno State | Fresno State | 85 |
| Pacific | Pacific | 70 | | | | | | |
| Pacific | Pacific | 70 | Fresno State | Fresno State | 83 | | | |
| | | | Memphis | Memphis | 80 | | | |
| Memphis | Memphis | 90 | Memphis | Memphis | 80 | | | |
| Ball State | Ball State | 67 | | | | | | |
| First Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Marquette | Marquette | 80 | | | | | | |
| Creighton | Creighton | 68 | | | | | | |
| Creighton | Creighton | 68 | Marquette | Marquette | 75 | | | |
| | | | Auburn | Auburn | 60 | | | |
| Auburn | Auburn | 77 | Auburn | Auburn | 60 | | | |
| Southern Miss | Southern Miss | 62 | | | | | | |
| Southern Miss | Southern Miss | 62 | | | | Marquette | Marquette | 71 |
| | | | | | | Minnesota | Minnesota | 73 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota | 77 | | | | | | | Minnesota | Minnesota | 73 |
| Colorado State | Colorado State | 65 | | | | | | |
| Colorado State | Colorado State | 65 | Minnesota | Minnesota | 79 | | | |
| | | | UAB | UAB | 66 | | | |
| UAB | UAB | 93 | UAB | UAB | 66 | | | |
| Missouri | Missouri | 86 | | | | | | |

### Semifinals & finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Georgia | Georgia | 60 | | | |
| Penn State | Penn State | 66 | | | |
| Penn State | Penn State | 66 | Penn State | Penn State | 72 |
| | | | Minnesota | Minnesota | 79 |
| Fresno State | Fresno State | 89 | Minnesota | Minnesota | 79 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota | 91 | | | |
| Third place game | Third place game | Third place game |
| Georgia | Georgia | 95 |
| Fresno State | Fresno State | 79 |
Minnesota later forfeited its entire 1997–98 schedule due to an academic fraud scandal.