# 2014 National Invitation Tournament

The 2014 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 NCAA Division I teams that were not selected to participate in the 2014 NCAA tournament. The annual tournament started on campus sites for the first three rounds, with the Final 4 and championship game being held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The tournament began on Tuesday, March 18 and ended on Thursday, April 3. Minnesota won this tournament after being the third Big Ten team in a row to make the NIT Finals (the two previous years a Big Ten team had lost the final game).

## Participants
### Automatic qualifiers

The following teams earned automatic berths into the 2014 NIT field having won their respective conference's regular season championship, but failing to win their conference tournament.
| Conference | Team | Record | Appearance | Last bid |
| Belmont | Ohio Valley | 24–9 | 2nd | 2004 |
| Boston University | Patriot | 24–10 | 6th | 2005 |
| Davidson | Southern | 20–12 | 6th | 2009 |
| Florida Gulf Coast | Atlantic Sun | 22–12 | 1st | Never |
| Georgia State | Sun Belt | 25–8 | 2nd | 2002 |
| Green Bay | Horizon | 24–6 | 3rd | 1992 |
| High Point | Big South | 16–14 | 1st | Never |
| Iona | MAAC | 22–10 | 5th | 1997 |
| Louisiana Tech | C-USA | 27–7 | 8th | 2013 |
| Robert Morris | Northeast | 21–13 | 3rd | 2013 |
| UC Irvine | Big West | 23–11 | 5th | 2002 |
| Utah Valley | WAC | 20–11 | 1st | Never |
| Vermont | America East | 22–10 | 3rd | 2011 |
Southern from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) was the league regular-season champion and lost in their conference tournament but is ineligible for the NIT due to Academic Progress Rate (APR) sanctions. No team from the SWAC received an NIT autobid.
Arizona (Pac-12), Cincinnati (American), Kansas (Big 12), Michigan (Big Ten), Saint Louis (Atlantic 10), San Diego State (Mountain West) and Villanova (Big East) received automatic bids to the NIT, but did not accept them as they were selected as at-large teams in the 2014 NCAA tournament.

### At-large bids

The following 19 teams were also awarded NIT berths.
| Team | Conference | Record | Appearance | Last bid |
| Arkansas | SEC | 21–11 | 3rd | 1997 |
| California | Pac-12 | 19–13 | 8th | 2011 |
| Clemson | ACC | 20–12 | 15th | 2007 |
| Florida State | ACC | 19–13 | 9th | 2013 |
| Georgetown | Big East | 17–14 | 12th | 2009 |
| Georgia | SEC | 19–13 | 12th | 2007 |
| Illinois | Big Ten | 19–14 | 5th | 2010 |
| Indiana State | Missouri Valley | 23–10 | 4th | 2013 |
| LSU | SEC | 19–13 | 7th | 2012 |
| Minnesota | Big Ten | 20–13 | 15th | 2012 |
| Missouri | SEC | 22–11 | 8th | 2005 |
| Saint Mary's | West Coast | 22–11 | 3rd | 2011 |
| San Francisco | West Coast | 21–11 | 6th | 2005 |
| SMU | American | 23–9 | 3rd | 2000 |
| Southern Miss | C-USA | 27–6 | 10th | 2013 |
| St. John's | Big East | 20–12 | 30th | 2013 |
| Toledo | MAC | 27–6 | 8th | 2007 |
| Utah | Pac-12 | 21–11 | 16th | 2001 |
| West Virginia | Big 12 | 17–15 | 16th | 2007 |

### Seeds

SMU Bracket :
| Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type |
| 1 | SMU | American | 23–9 | At-large |
| 2 | California | Pac-12 | 19–13 | At-large |
| 3 | Arkansas | SEC | 21–11 | At-large |
| 4 | San Francisco | West Coast | 21–11 | At-large |
| 5 | LSU | SEC | 19–13 | At-large |
| 6 | Indiana State | MVC | 23–10 | At-large |
| 7 | Utah Valley | WAC | 20–11 | Automatic |
| 8 | UC Irvine | Big West | 23–11 | Automatic |
St. John's Bracket :
| Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type |
| 1 | St. John's | Big East | 20–12 | At-large |
| 2 | Illinois | Big Ten | 19–14 | At-large |
| 3 | Clemson | ACC | 20–12 | At-large |
| 4 | Green Bay | Horizon | 24–6 | Automatic |
| 5 | Belmont | Ohio Valley | 24–9 | Automatic |
| 6 | Georgia State | Sun Belt | 25–8 | Automatic |
| 7 | Boston University | Patriot | 24–10 | Automatic |
| 8 | Robert Morris | Northeast | 21–13 | Automatic |
Florida State Bracket :
| Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type |
| 1 | Florida State | ACC | 19–13 | At-large |
| 2 | Georgia | SEC | 19–13 | At-large |
| 3 | Louisiana Tech | C-USA | 27–7 | Automatic |
| 4 | Georgetown | Big East | 17–14 | At-large |
| 5 | West Virginia | Big 12 | 17–15 | At-large |
| 6 | Iona | MAAC | 22–10 | Automatic |
| 7 | Vermont | America East | 22–10 | Automatic |
| 8 | Florida Gulf Coast | Atlantic Sun | 22–12 | Automatic |
Minnesota Bracket :
| Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type |
| 1 | Minnesota | Big Ten | 20–13 | At-large |
| 2 | Missouri | SEC | 22–11 | At-large |
| 3 | Southern Miss | C-USA | 27–6 | At-large |
| 4 | Saint Mary's | West Coast | 22–11 | At-large |
| 5 | Utah | Pac-12 | 21–11 | At-large |
| 6 | Toledo | MAC | 27–6 | At-large |
| 7 | Davidson | Southern | 20–12 | Automatic |
| 8 | High Point | Big South | 16–14 | Automatic |

## Bracket

Games are played at higher seed unless noted.
| First round March 18–19 | First round March 18–19 | First round March 18–19 | Second round March 24 | Second round March 24 | Second round March 24 | Quarterfinals March 26 | Quarterfinals March 26 | Quarterfinals March 26 |
| 1 | SMU | 68 | | | | | | |
| 8 | UC Irvine | 54 | | | | | | |
| 8 | UC Irvine | 54 | 1 | SMU | 80 | | | |
| | | | 5 | LSU | 67 | | | |
| 4 | San Francisco | 63 | 5 | LSU | 67 | | | |
| 5 | LSU | 71 | | | | | | |
| 5 | LSU | 71 | | | | 1 | SMU | 67 |
| | | | | | | 2 | California | 65 |
| 2 | California | 77 | | | | | | | 2 | California | 65 |
| 7 | Utah Valley | 64 | | | | | | |
| 7 | Utah Valley | 64 | 2 | California | 75 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Arkansas | 64 | | | |
| 3 | Arkansas | 91 | 3 | Arkansas | 64 | | | |
| 6 | Indiana State | 71 | | | | | | |
| First round March 18–19 | First round March 18–19 | First round March 18–19 | Second round March 21, 23 | Second round March 21, 23 | Second round March 21, 23 | Quarterfinals March 25 | Quarterfinals March 25 | Quarterfinals March 25 |
| 1 | St. John's | 78 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Robert Morris | 89 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Robert Morris | 89 | 8 | Robert Morris | 71 | | | |
| | | | 5 | Belmont | 82 | | | |
| 4 | Green Bay | 65 | 5 | Belmont | 82 | | | |
| 5 | Belmont | 80 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Belmont | 80 | | | | 5 | Belmont | 68 |
| | | | | | | 3 | Clemson | 73 |
| 2 | Illinois | 66 | | | | | | | 3 | Clemson | 73 |
| 7 | Boston University | 62 | | | | | | |
| 7 | Boston University | 62 | 2 | Illinois | 49 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Clemson | 50 | | | |
| 3 | Clemson | 78 | 3 | Clemson | 50 | | | |
| 6 | Georgia State | 66 | | | | | | |
*#2 Illinois played at #7 Boston University and at #3 Clemson due to State Farm Center renovations.
| First round March 18–19 | First round March 18–19 | First round March 18–19 | Second round March 23 | Second round March 23 | Second round March 23 | Quarterfinals March 25 | Quarterfinals March 25 | Quarterfinals March 25 |
| 1 | Minnesota | 88 | | | | | | |
| 8 | High Point | 81 | | | | | | |
| 8 | High Point | 81 | 1 | Minnesota | 63 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Saint Mary's | 55 | | | |
| 4 | Saint Mary's | 70 | 4 | Saint Mary's | 55 | | | |
| 5 | Utah | 58 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Utah | 58 | | | | 1 | Minnesota | 81 |
| | | | | | | 3 | Southern Miss | 73 |
| 2 | Missouri | 85 | | | | | | | 3 | Southern Miss | 73 |
| 7 | Davidson | 77 | | | | | | |
| 7 | Davidson | 77 | 2 | Missouri | 63 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Southern Miss | 71 | | | |
| 3 | Southern Miss | 66 | 3 | Southern Miss | 71 | | | |
| 6 | Toledo | 59 | | | | | | |
| First round March 18–19 | First round March 18–19 | First round March 18–19 | Second round March 22, 24 | Second round March 22, 24 | Second round March 22, 24 | Quarterfinals March 26 | Quarterfinals March 26 | Quarterfinals March 26 |
| 1 | Florida State | 58 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Florida Gulf Coast | 53 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Florida Gulf Coast | 53 | 1 | Florida State | 101 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Georgetown | 90 | | | |
| 4 | Georgetown | 77 | 4 | Georgetown | 90 | | | |
| 5 | West Virginia | 65 | | | | | | |
| 5 | West Virginia | 65 | | | | 1 | Florida State | 78 |
| | | | | | | 3 | Louisiana Tech | 75 |
| 2 | Georgia | 63 | | | | | | | 3 | Louisiana Tech | 75 |
| 7 | Vermont | 56 | | | | | | |
| 7 | Vermont | 56 | 2 | Georgia | 71 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Louisiana Tech | 79 | | | |
| 3 | Louisiana Tech | 89 | 3 | Louisiana Tech | 79 | | | |
| 6 | Iona | 88 | | | | | | |
| Semifinals April 1 | Semifinals April 1 | Semifinals April 1 | Final April 3 | Final April 3 | Final April 3 |
| 1 | SMU | 65 | | | |
| 3 | Clemson | 59 | | | |
| 3 | Clemson | 59 | 1 | SMU | 63 |
| | | | 1 | Minnesota | 65 |
| 1 | Minnesota | 67$^{OT}$ | 1 | Minnesota | 65 |
| 1 | Florida State | 64 | | | |

## Media

ESPN has exclusive television rights to all NIT games. They aired every single game across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3. Since 2011 Westwood One has held exclusive radio rights to the semifinals and championship. In 2014, John Tautges and Kelly Tripucka called these games for Westwood One.