# 1979 National Invitation Tournament

The 1979 National Invitation Tournament was the 1979 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition. Indiana University defeated their rival Purdue University 53–52 in the championship game. Purdue appeared in the 1980 NCAA Men's Final Four while Indiana won the national championship at the 1981 NCAA Men's Final Four.

## Selected teams

Below is a list of the 24 teams selected for the tournament.
* Alabama
* Alcorn State
* Central Michigan
* Clemson
* Dayton
* Holy Cross
* Indiana
* Kentucky
* Maryland
* Mississippi State
* Nevada
* New Mexico
* Northeast Louisiana
* Ohio State
* Old Dominion
* Oregon State
* Purdue
* Rhode Island
* Saint Joseph's
* St. Bonaventure
* Texas A&M
* Texas Tech
* Virginia
* Wagner

## Brackets

Below are the three 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 |
| Indiana | Indiana | 78 | | | | | | |
| Texas Tech | Texas Tech | 59 | | | | | | |
| Texas Tech | Texas Tech | 59 | Indiana | Indiana | 72 | | | |
| | | | Alcorn State | Alcorn State | 68 | | | |
| Alcorn State | Alcorn State | 80 | Alcorn State | Alcorn State | 68 | | | |
| Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 78 | | | | | | |
| Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 78 | | | | Indiana | Indiana | 64 |
| | | | | | | Ohio State | Ohio State | 55 |
| Maryland | Maryland | 67 | | | | | | | Ohio State | Ohio State | 55 |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island | 65 | | | | | | |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island | 65 | Maryland | Maryland | 72 | | | |
| | | | Ohio State | Ohio State | 79 | | | |
| Ohio State | Ohio State | 80 | Ohio State | Ohio State | 79 | | | |
| Saint Joseph's | Saint Joseph's | 66 | | | | | | |
* Indiana and Ohio State received byes to the Semifinals.
| First Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Purdue | Purdue | 97 | | | | | | |
| Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 80 | | | | | | |
| Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 80 | Purdue | Purdue | 84 | | | |
| | | | Dayton | Dayton | 70 | | | |
| Dayton | Dayton | 105 | Dayton | Dayton | 70 | | | |
| Holy Cross | Holy Cross | 81 | | | | | | |
| Holy Cross | Holy Cross | 81 | | | | Purdue | Purdue | 67 |
| | | | | | | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 59 |
| Clemson | Clemson | 68 | | | | | | | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 59 |
| Kentucky | Kentucky | 67 | | | | | | |
| Kentucky | Kentucky | 67 | Clemson | Clemson | 59 | | | |
| | | | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 61 | | | |
| Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 83 | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 61 | | | |
| Wagner | Wagner | 81 | | | | | | |
| First Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Nevada | Nevada | 62 | | | | | | |
| Oregon State | Oregon State | 61 | | | | | | |
| Oregon State | Oregon State | 61 | Nevada | Nevada | 64 | | | |
| | | | Texas A&M | Texas A&M | 67 | | | |
| Texas A&M | Texas A&M | 79 | Texas A&M | Texas A&M | 67 | | | |
| New Mexico | New Mexico | 68 | | | | | | |
| New Mexico | New Mexico | 68 | | | | Texas A&M | Texas A&M | 68 |
| | | | | | | Alabama | Alabama | 72 |
| Alabama | Alabama | 98 | | | | | | | Alabama | Alabama | 72 |
| St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure | 89 | | | | | | |
| St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure | 89 | Alabama | Alabama | 90 | | | |
| | | | Virginia | Virginia | 88 | | | |
| Virginia | Virginia | 79 | Virginia | Virginia | 88 | | | |
| Northeast Louisiana | Northeast Louisiana | 78 | | | | | | |

### Semifinals & finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Indiana | Indiana | 64 | | | |
| Ohio State | Ohio State | 55 | | | |
| Ohio State | Ohio State | 55 | Indiana | Indiana | 53 |
| | | | Purdue | Purdue | 52 |
| Purdue | Purdue | 87 | Purdue | Purdue | 52 |
| Alabama | Alabama | 68 | | | |
| Third place game | Third place game | Third place game |
| Ohio State | Ohio State | 86 |
| Alabama | Alabama | 96 |