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.

2004 National Invitation Tournament

Season	2003–04
Teams	40
Finals site	Madison Square Garden, New York City
Champions	Michigan Wolverines (3rd title)
Runner-up	Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Iowa State Cyclones (1st semifinal) Oregon Ducks (3rd semifinal)
Winning coach	Tommy Amaker (1st title)
MVP	Daniel Horton (Michigan)
National Invitation Tournaments «2003 2005»

Selected teams

Below is a list of the 40 teams selected for the tournament.^[1]

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.^[1]

	Opening Round					First Round					Second Round					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
		Kent State	54
							West Virginia	79
							Rhode Island	72
		Rhode Island	80
		Boston University	52

	Opening Round					First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
		Boise State	84
		UNLV	69
							Boise State	73
							Milwaukee	70
		Milwaukee	91
		Rice	53
												Boise State	53
												Marquette	66
							Marquette	87
							Toledo	72
																	Marquette	69
																	Iowa State	77
							Florida State	91
							Wichita State	842OT
												Florida State	59
												Iowa State	62
							Iowa State	82
							Georgia	74

	Opening Round					First Round					Second Round					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	72OT
												Oregon	68
												George Mason	54
		George Mason	58
		Tennessee	55
							George Mason	66
							Austin Peay	60
		Austin Peay	65
		Belmont	59

	Opening Round					First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
		Nebraska	71
		Creighton	70
							Nebraska	78
							Niagara	70
		Niagara	87
		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					Finals
	Rutgers		84
	Iowa State		81OT
						Rutgers		55
						Michigan		62
	Oregon		53
	Michigan		78

See also

• 2004 Women's National Invitation Tournament
• 2004 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 2004 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament
• 2004 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament
• 2004 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
• 2004 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 2004 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament