# 2005 National Invitation Tournament

The 2005 National Invitation Tournament was the 2005 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition. South Carolina defeated Saint Joseph's, 60–57, to earn the program's first NIT title.

## Selected teams

Below is a list of the 40 teams selected for the tournament.
| School | Conference | Record | Appearance | Last bid |
| Arizona State | Pac-10 | 18–12 | 9th | 2002 |
| Boston University | America East | 20–8 | 5th | 2004 |
| Buffalo | MAC | 22–9 | 1st | Never |
| Cal State Fullerton | Big West | 19–10 | 3rd | 1987 |
| Clemson | ACC | 16–15 | 12th | 1999 |
| Davidson | Southern | 21–8 | 4th | 1996 |
| Denver | Sun Belt | 20–10 | 2nd | 1959 |
| DePaul | C-USA | 19–10 | 15th | 2003 |
| Drexel | CAA | 17–11 | 4th | 2004 |
| Georgetown | Big East | 17–12 | 19th | 2003 |
| Hofstra | Colonial | 21–8 | 2nd | 1999 |
| Holy Cross | Patriot | 24–6 | 12th | 1990 |
| Houston | C-USA | 18–13 | 8th | 2002 |
| Indiana | Big Ten | 15–13 | 4th | 1985 |
| Kent State | MAC | 20–12 | 7th | 2004 |
| Marquette | C-USA | 19–11 | 15th | 2004 |
| Maryland | ACC | 16–12 | 5th | 1990 |
| Memphis | C-USA | 19–15 | 16th | 2002 |
| Miami (FL) | ACC | 16–12 | 7th | 2001 |
| Miami (OH) | MAC | 19–10 | 5th | 1996 |
| Missouri | Big 12 | 16–16 | 7th | 2004 |
| Northeastern | America East | 21–9 | 1st | Never |
| Notre Dame | Big East | 17–11 | 9th | 2004 |
| Oral Roberts | Mid-Con | 25–7 | 7th | 1997 |
| Oregon State | Pac-10 | 18–14 | 4th | 1987 |
| Rice | WAC | 19–11 | 5th | 2004 |
| Saint Joseph's | Atlantic 10 | 19–11 | 13th | 2002 |
| San Francisco | West Coast | 16–13 | 5th | 1976 |
| South Carolina | SEC | 15–13 | 9th | 2002 |
| Southwest Missouri State | Missouri Valley | 18–12 | 6th | 2000 |
| Temple | Atlantic 10 | 16–13 | 16th | 2004 |
| Texas A&M | Big 12 | 19–9 | 6th | 1994 |
| TCU | C-USA | 19–13 | 6th | 1999 |
| UNLV | Mountain West | 16–13 | 9th | 2004 |
| Vanderbilt | SEC | 18–13 | 10th | 2002 |
| VCU | Colonial | 19–12 | 4th | 1993 |
| Virginia Tech | ACC | 15–13 | 8th | 1995 |
| Western Kentucky | Sun Belt | 21–8 | 12th | 1992 |
| Western Michigan | MAC | 19–12 | 3rd | 2003 |
| Wichita State | Missouri Valley | 20–9 | 10th | 2004 |

## 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 |
| | | Western Michigan | 54 | | | | | |
| | | Marquette | 40 | | | | | |
| | | | | Western Michigan | 76 | | | |
| | | | | TCU | 78$^{OT}$ | | | |
| | | TCU | 60 | | | | | |
| | | Miami (OH) | 58 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | TCU | 73 |
| | | | | | | | Maryland | 85 |
| | | Maryland | 85 | | | | | |
| | | Oral Roberts | 72 | | | | | |
| | | | | Maryland | 78 | | | |
| | | | | Davidson | 63 | | | |
| Davidson | 77 | | | | | Davidson | 63 | |
| VCU | 62 | | | | | | | |
| VCU | 62 | Davidson | 82 | | | | | |
| | | SW Missouri State | 71 | | | | | |
| SW Missouri State | 105 | SW Missouri State | 71 | | | | | |
| Rice | 82 | | | | | | | |
| Opening Round | Opening Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Cal State Fullerton | 85 | | | | | | |
| Oregon State | 83 | | | | | | |
| Oregon State | 83 | Cal State Fullerton | 85 | | | | |
| | | San Francisco | 69 | | | | |
| San Francisco | 69 | San Francisco | 69 | | | | |
| Denver | 67 | | | | | | |
| Denver | 67 | | | Cal State Fullerton | 57 | | |
| | | | | Georgetown | 74 | | |
| | | Georgetown | 64 | | | | |
| | | Boston University | 34 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Georgetown | 66 |
| | | | | | | South Carolina | 69 |
| | | UNLV | 89 | | | | |
| | | Arizona State | 78 | | | | |
| | | | | UNLV | 66 | | |
| | | | | South Carolina | 77 | | |
| | | South Carolina | 69 | | | | |
| | | Miami (FL) | 67 | | | | |
| Opening Round | Opening Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | Memphis | 90 | | | | | |
| | | Northeastern | 65 | | | | | |
| | | | | Memphis | 83 | | | |
| | | | | Virginia Tech | 62 | | | |
| | | Virginia Tech | 60 | | | | | |
| | | Temple | 50 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Memphis | 81 |
| | | | | | | | Vanderbilt | 68 |
| | | Vanderbilt | 67 | | | | | |
| | | Indiana | 60 | | | | | |
| | | | | Vanderbilt | 65 | | | |
| | | | | Wichita State | 63 | | | |
| Wichita State | 85 | | | | | Wichita State | 63 | |
| Houston | 69 | | | | | | | |
| Houston | 69 | Wichita State | 84 | | | | | |
| | | Western Kentucky | 81 | | | | | |
| Western Kentucky | 88 | Western Kentucky | 81 | | | | | |
| Kent State | 80$^{OT}$ | | | | | | | |
| Opening Round | Opening Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Saint Joseph's | 53 | | | | | | |
| Hofstra | 44 | | | | | | |
| Hofstra | 44 | Saint Joseph's | 55 | | | | |
| | | Buffalo | 50 | | | | |
| Buffalo | 81 | Buffalo | 50 | | | | |
| Drexel | 76$^{OT}$ | | | | | | |
| Drexel | 76$^{OT}$ | | | Saint Joseph's | 68 | | |
| | | | | Holy Cross | 60 | | |
| | | Holy Cross | 78 | | | | |
| | | Notre Dame | 73 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Saint Joseph's | 58 |
| | | | | | | Texas A&M | 51 |
| | | Texas A&M | 82 | | | | |
| | | Clemson | 74 | | | | |
| | | | | Texas A&M | 75 | | |
| | | | | DePaul | 72 | | |
| | | DePaul | 75 | | | | |
| | | Missouri | 70 | | | | |

### Semifinals & finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Maryland | Maryland | 67 | | | |
| South Carolina | South Carolina | 75 | | | |
| South Carolina | South Carolina | 75 | South Carolina | South Carolina | 60 |
| | | | Saint Joseph's | Saint Joseph's | 57 |
| Saint Joseph's | Saint Joseph's | 70 | Saint Joseph's | Saint Joseph's | 57 |
| Memphis | Memphis | 58 | | | |