TOURNEY WATCH: 3/24/2011

Joining Colorado in New York City next week for the NIT "final four" will be Alabama, Wichita State and Washington State, all unsurprising home winners Wednesday night.

Alabama jumped all over Miami, but let the Hurricanes back into it midway through the game before putting them away for good late. The Crimson Tide's stingy defense will pose an interesting obstacle to Alec Burks and company.

Wichita State led by as many as 20 points midway through the second half, but the Shockers had to hold on for dear life after Andrew Goudelock started draining 3s from Jimmer range and beyond.

Only the expiration of the clock prevented a full-blown College of Charleston comeback, in my opinion.

I fell asleep toward the end of the Washington State game, so I'm not quite sure what happened, but after leading by a significant margin for most of the game (notice a trend here?), the Cougars let Northwestern back into it enough to force overtime.

They prevailed in the extra five minutes, however, if only by three points.

So Tuesday's doubleheader is set, with the two WSUs squaring off at 6 p.m. CST and Alabama-Colorado following as the nightcap. Should be a fine night of fairly meaningless, also-ran basketball at Madison Square Garden.

Associated Press Ranking = 21

ESPN/USA Today Ranking = 24

Overall Record = 23-11

Big 12 Record = 10-6

Top 50 Record = 4-7

Big 12 Seed = 4

NCAA Seed = 5

RPI = 23

SOS = 11

Region (Site) = Southeast (Tucson)

Signature Wins (RPI 1-30) = Kansas, Texas, Utah State

Quality Wins (RPI 31-100) = James Madison, Virginia Tech, Gonzaga, Washington State, Baylor, Nebraska (2), Missouri

Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none

• James Madison (21-12, 10-8 CAA) | RPI = 88
• Virginia Tech (22-12, 9-7 ACC) | RPI = 62
• Presbyterian (13-18, 7-11 Big South) | RPI = 204
• Gonzaga (24-10, 11-3 WCC) | RPI = 56
• No. 1 seed Duke (32-4, 13-3 ACC) | RPI = 4
• Texas Southern (19-13, 16-2 SWAC) | RPI = 192
• Emporia State (16-14, 12-10 MIAA**)
• No. 2* seed Washington State (22-12, 9-9 Pac-10) | RPI = 82: Win over No. 4* seed Northwestern (69-66 in overtime in the NIT quarterfinals)
  
• Alcorn State (4-24, 4-14 SWAC) | RPI = 337
• Loyola-Chicago (16-15, 7-11 Horizon League) | RPI = 197
• No. 2 seed Florida (28-7, 13-3 SEC) | RPI = 8
• UNLV (24-9, 11-5 Mountain West) | RPI = 25
• UMKC (16-14, 9-9 Summit League) | RPI = 212
• North Florida (15-19, 10-10 Atlantic Sun) | RPI = 149
• Savannah State (12-18) | RPI = 252
• Oklahoma State (20-14, 6-10 Big 12) | RPI = 61
• No. 1* seed Colorado (24-13, 8-8 Big 12) | RPI = 65
• Texas Tech (13-19, 5-11 Big 12) | RPI = 165
• Missouri (23-11, 8-8 Big 12) | RPI = 37
• No. 24 Texas A&M (24-9, 10-6 Big 12) | RPI = 30
• Baylor (18-13, 7-9 Big 12) | RPI = 94
• No. 1 seed Kansas (34-2, 14-2 Big 12) | RPI = 1
• Nebraska (19-13, 7-9 Big 12) | RPI = 89
• Iowa State (16-16, 3-13 Big 12) | RPI = 138
• Oklahoma (14-18, 5-11 Big 12) | RPI = 126
• No. 8 Texas (28-8, 13-3 Big 12) | RPI = 11
• No. 19 Utah State (30-4, 15-1 WAC) | RPI = 15
• No. 4 seed Wisconsin (25-8, 13-5 Big Ten) | RPI = 16

*NIT
**Division II