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Will Kansas State make the NIT? NCAA/NIT/CBI/Vegas 16/CIT reveals: how to watch

We know we don't have to worry about the NCAA selection show, but you'll want eyes open Sunday night.

If K-State doesn't get the call from the NIT, this seat's a lot warmer.
If K-State doesn't get the call from the NIT, this seat's a lot warmer.
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

It's become an interesting end to Championship Week for Kansas State, as the folks at BracketMatrix.com have dropped K-State from a 2-seed a week ago to a 7-seed today. What once looked like a pretty sure bet is now getting dicey, and there are still over half a dozen regular season conference champions who could be relegated to the NIT if they don't hold serve in conference tournament finals this weekend.

So with that in mind, Wildcat fans are going to want to keep their eyes peeled Sunday night. We, of course, will be on hand with news of K-State's fate as soon as possible once it's announced, but for those of you who want to zero in on it yourself, we've got all your info right here.

NCAA Selection Show

We'll include the info here even though K-State isn't getting called out, because obviously it's of interest to everyone anyway. The show will air on CBS, streaming on NCAA.com and the NCAA March Madness Live app, Sunday afternoon beginning at 4:30pm CT. Ernie Johnson and Greg Gumbel will co-host, which commentary provided by Charles Barkley, Clark Kellogg, Kenny Smith, Seth Davis, and Doug Gottlieb. As usual, CBS will have crews on site at several schools, especially hot bubble teams.

NIT Selection Show

The NIT has an actual selection show on your magical television device Sunday night. Tune into ESPNU (or stream on WatchESPN) at 7:30pm to find out if the Cats will find themselves in the mix.

CBI Selection

If K-State doesn't get the call for the NIT, the next question is whether John Currie will opt to open his wallet to buy the Wildcats into the CBI. (As was astutely noted by a member of our commentariat, it would actually make no sense to buy into the theory that K-State's failures this season are a result of youth and inexperience and then not make the investment in a CBI appearance if necessary. When you have a team which supposedly just needs more experience, you have to take the opportunity when it arises.)

Generally, the CBI announcements filter through social media during the hours following the NIT reveal, ultimately being released in full via a press release at the CBI home page. If K-State misses the NIT, you'll want to follow @CBITourney on Twitter immediately.

Vegas 16

The Vegas 16 is a new tournament. It's a one-site, five-day event held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (duh) from March 27-31. The first round will stream at the Vegas 16 website, with quarterfinals, semifinals, and the championship being aired on CBS Sports Network.

Given the broadcast profile and the support of CBS, there's already rumblings that this tournament could supplant the CBI as the third-tier tournament for Power 5 conferences. (The CIT, for which K-State is not eligible, is clearly the third tier for mid-majors, but because it's restricted to mid-majors it's also a bit of a different animal.) The single site has its pros and cons; it's a good excuse for a vacation, and obviously being in Vegas has its perks, but on the flip side there are no home games and therefore no revenue -- in fact, it's a $50K buy-in for each team to cover transportation and hotels. Despite this, many schools -- Power 5 and mid-major alike -- are beginning to express very real interest in this event, which is being described by tournament chair Jim Livengood as a "bowl game-like experience".

It's unclear how the Vegas 16 will officially announce its bracket, but you can follow @vegassixteen on Twitter for more information on Sunday. (And if we get better info regarding the bracket reveal, we'll edit.)

CIT

Obviously, K-State's not in the mix here, as the CIT is restricted to teams outside the Power 5. The CIT, like the CBI, usually undergoes a slow reveal through social media (@collegeinsider on Twitter). One team is already confirmed: Grand Canyon, who will host a team from the MEAC or SWAC in the John McClendon Classic, being played as part of the tournament's first round on March 14. Because that's the day after Selection Sunday, one can probably safely assume the opponent will already be known by Sunday morning.