TOURNEY WATCH: 3/31/2010

The NIT Final Four commenced at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night with two semifinal games.

There's a certain symmetry in our two Puerto Rico opponents facing each other in one semi.

Ironically, the team that beat us (Mississippi) lost to the team that we beat (Dayton) — although it really wasn't that surprising, as I thought the Flyers were more talented across the board when we played them.

In the other semi, North Carolina outlasted Rhode Island by one point in overtime after a controversial no-call.

Thus, Dayton is all that stands between us and endless off-season hype for the Tar Heels. It's been a blissfully quiet few months with them out of the national picture, but if they win the NIT and when they add highly touted Harrison Barnes this summer, the preseason hype for 2010-2011 will be insufferable.

AP Ranking = 7

ESPN/USA Today Ranking = 7

NCAA Seed = 2 (West Region)

Record = 29-8

• Loyola Chicago (14-16)
  
• Western Illinois (13-17)
  
• Boston University (21-14)
  
• No. 2* seed Ole Miss (24-11): Loss to No. 3* seed Dayton (68-63 in the NIT)
  
• No. 3* seed Dayton (24-12): Win over No. 2* seed Ole Miss (68-63 in the NIT)
  
• IUPUI (25-11)
  
• FHSU (22-7)
  
• Washington State (16-15)
  
• No. 6 seed Xavier (26-9)
  
• No. 8 seed UNLV (25-9)
  
• Alabama (17-15)
  
• No. 16 seed UAPB (18-16)
  
• Cleveland State (16-17)
  
• South Dakota (22-10)
  
• No. 10 seed Missouri (23-11)
  
• No. 5 seed Texas A&M (24-10)
  
• Colorado (15-16)
  
• No. 8 seed Texas (24-10)
  
• No. 7 seed Oklahoma State (22-11)
• No. 3 seed Baylor (28-8)
  
• No. 1 seed Kansas (33-3)
  
• Nebraska (15-18)
  
• Iowa State (15-17)
  
• Oklahoma (13-18)
  
• No. 5* seed Texas Tech (19-16)
  
• No. 15 seed North Texas (24-9)
• No. 7 seed BYU (30-6)
• No. 5 seed Butler (32-4)
  

*NIT