Barring a deep run in the Pac-10 Tournament, with an automatic NCAA Tournament likely necessary, the Washington State Cougars are headed to the NIT. Washington State is still, technically, on the NCAA Tournament bubble, but remains on the outside looking in with Selection Sunday looming. While the Cougars will make a postseason tournament, the latest bracketology projections reveal Washington State looks to be heading for the little brother, hitting the court in the NIT.
Over at The Bracket Project, the Cougars are a two-seed in the NIT, joining the teams that miss-out on the Big Dance. Three Pac-10 teams are in the field, with Washington, UCLA and Arizona still listed in the NCAA Tournament field.
Here’s how it all shakes out.
Washington State is a No. 2 seed in the Alabama region. The Crimson Tide lead the field, with Washington State, Missouri State, Southern Mississippi, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Coastal Carolina and Murray State also in the region.
USC is a No. 1 seed, heading up a region filled with some recognizable names. New Mexico, Baylor, Minnesota, Miami and others populate the region.
Cal is also in the NIT field, listed as a four-seed in the latest bracketology. The Golden Bears are in Penn State’s region, joining VCU, Cleveland State, Princeton and others. Princeton would make the field if it loses to Harvard in a one-game playoff for the Ivy League title on Saturday.
The field is subject to change as the conference tournaments finish later this week. USC and Washington State could still sneak into the NCAA Tournament field with a deep run in the Pac-10 Tournament, with USC still holding slightly better odds of taking a bid, even without winning the tournament.
For the latest bracket projections, check out the rest of our bracketology StoryStream.