# 2004 National Invitation Tournament

The 2004 National Invitation Tournament was the 2004 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition. Michigan (initially barred from postseason play that season, but overturned on appeal) defeated Rutgers in the final game to capture their third NIT Championship.

## Selected teams

Below is a list of the 40 teams selected for the tournament.
| School | Conference | Record | Appearance | Last bid |
| Austin Peay | Ohio Valley | 21–9 | 1st | Never |
| Belmont | Atlantic Sun | 21–8 | 1st | Never |
| Boise State | WAC | 21–9 | 4th | 1991 |
| Boston University | America East | 23–5 | 4th | 2003 |
| Colorado | Big 12 | 18–10 | 7th | 2000 |
| Creighton | Missouri Valley | 20–8 | 7th | 1998 |
| Drexel | Colonial | 18–10 | 3rd | 2003 |
| Florida State | ACC | 18–13 | 4th | 1997 |
| George Mason | Colonial | 21–9 | 3rd | 2002 |
| George Washington | Atlantic 10 | 18–11 | 4th | 1997 |
| Georgia | SEC | 16–13 | 10th | 1999 |
| Hawaii | WAC | 19–11 | 8th | 2003 |
| Iowa | Big Ten | 16–12 | 5th | 2003 |
| Iowa State | Big 12 | 17–12 | 3rd | 2003 |
| Kent State | MAC | 22–7 | 6th | 2003 |
| LSU | SEC | 18–10 | 5th | 2002 |
| Marquette | C-USA | 17–11 | 14th | 2000 |
| Michigan | Big Ten | 18–11 | 8th | 2000 |
| Milwaukee | Horizon | 19–10 | 1st | Never |
| Missouri | Big 12 | 16–13 | 6th | 1998 |
| Nebraska | Big 12 | 16–12 | 13th | 1999 |
| Niagara | MAAC | 21–9 | 12th | 1993 |
| Notre Dame | Big East | 17–12 | 8th | 2000 |
| Oklahoma | Big 12 | 19–10 | 7th | 1994 |
| Oregon | Pac-10 | 15–12 | 9th | 1999 |
| Purdue | Big Ten | 17–13 | 8th | 2001 |
| Rhode Island | Atlantic 10 | 19–13 | 11th | 2003 |
| Rice | WAC | 22–10 | 4th | 1993 |
| Rutgers | Big East | 16–12 | 13th | 2002 |
| Saint Louis | C-USA | 18–12 | 18th | 2003 |
| Temple | Atlantic 10 | 15–13 | 15th | 2003 |
| Tennessee | SEC | 15–13 | 11th | 2003 |
| Toledo | MAC | 20–10 | 6th | 2001 |
| Troy State | A-Sun | 24–6 | 1st | Never |
| UNLV | Mountain West | 18–12 | 8th | 2003 |
| Utah State | Big West | 25–3 | 7th | 2002 |
| Villanova | Big East | 16–16 | 17th | 2003 |
| Virginia | ACC | 17–12 | 11th | 2003 |
| West Virginia | Big East | 15–13 | 14th | 2001 |
| Wichita State | Missouri Valley | 21–10 | 9th | 2003 |

## Bracket

Below are the four first round brackets, along with the four-team championship bracket.
| Opening Round | Opening Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | Villanova | 85 | | | | | |
| | | Drexel | 70 | | | | | |
| | | | | Villanova | 73 | | | |
| | | | | Virginia | 63 | | | |
| | | Virginia | 79 | | | | | |
| | | George Washington | 66 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Villanova | 60 |
| | | | | | | | Rutgers | 72 |
| | | Rutgers | 76 | | | | | |
| | | Temple | 71 | | | | | |
| | | | | Rutgers | 67 | | | |
| | | | | West Virginia | 64 | | | |
| West Virginia | 65 | | | | | West Virginia | 64 | |
| Kent State | 54 | | | | | | | |
| Kent State | 54 | West Virginia | 79 | | | | | |
| | | Rhode Island | 72 | | | | | |
| Rhode Island | 80 | Rhode Island | 72 | | | | | |
| Boston University | 52 | | | | | | | |
| Opening Round | Opening Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Boise State | 84 | | | | | | |
| UNLV | 69 | | | | | | |
| UNLV | 69 | Boise State | 73 | | | | |
| | | Milwaukee | 70 | | | | |
| Milwaukee | 91 | Milwaukee | 70 | | | | |
| Rice | 53 | | | | | | |
| Rice | 53 | | | Boise State | 53 | | |
| | | | | Marquette | 66 | | |
| | | Marquette | 87 | | | | |
| | | Toledo | 72 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Marquette | 69 |
| | | | | | | Iowa State | 77 |
| | | Florida State | 91 | | | | |
| | | Wichita State | 84$^{2OT}$ | | | | |
| | | | | Florida State | 59 | | |
| | | | | Iowa State | 62 | | |
| | | Iowa State | 82 | | | | |
| | | Georgia | 74 | | | | |
| Opening Round | Opening Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | Notre Dame | 71 | | | | | |
| | | Purdue | 59 | | | | | |
| | | | | Notre Dame | 77 | | | |
| | | | | Saint Louis | 66 | | | |
| | | Saint Louis | 70 | | | | | |
| | | Iowa | 69 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Notre Dame | 61 |
| | | | | | | | Oregon | 65 |
| | | Oregon | 77 | | | | | |
| | | Colorado | 72$^{OT}$ | | | | | |
| | | | | Oregon | 68 | | | |
| | | | | George Mason | 54 | | | |
| George Mason | 58 | | | | | George Mason | 54 | |
| Tennessee | 55 | | | | | | | |
| Tennessee | 55 | George Mason | 66 | | | | | |
| | | Austin Peay | 60 | | | | | |
| Austin Peay | 65 | Austin Peay | 60 | | | | | |
| Belmont | 59 | | | | | | | |
| Opening Round | Opening Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Nebraska | 71 | | | | | | |
| Creighton | 70 | | | | | | |
| Creighton | 70 | Nebraska | 78 | | | | |
| | | Niagara | 70 | | | | |
| Niagara | 87 | Niagara | 70 | | | | |
| Troy State | 83 | | | | | | |
| Troy State | 83 | | | Nebraska | 83 | | |
| | | | | Hawaii | 84 | | |
| | | Hawaii | 85 | | | | |
| | | Utah State | 74 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Hawaii | 73 |
| | | | | | | Michigan | 88 |
| | | Oklahoma | 70 | | | | |
| | | LSU | 61 | | | | |
| | | | | Oklahoma | 52 | | |
| | | | | Michigan | 63 | | |
| | | Michigan | 65 | | | | |
| | | Missouri | 64 | | | | |

### Semifinals & finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Rutgers | Rutgers | 84 | | | |
| Iowa State | Iowa State | 81$^{OT}$ | | | |
| Iowa State | Iowa State | 81$^{OT}$ | Rutgers | Rutgers | 55 |
| | | | Michigan | Michigan | 62 |
| Oregon | Oregon | 53 | Michigan | Michigan | 62 |
| Michigan | Michigan | 78 | | | |