Oakland, Valparaiso Earn NIT Bids

Oakland and Valparaiso both were selected to participate in the 2017 National Invitation Tournament, as announced Sunday night by the NIT selection committee. This is the first NIT appearance for the Golden Grizzlies who are making their third consecutive trip to the postseason and eighth trip in the past nine years. Valparaiso will make its second consecutive trip to the NIT after finishing runner-up in last year’s tournament and its seventh straight postseason appearance. Both teams will open play Tuesday, March 14.

Oakland will begin its tournament at Clemson, with the tip scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ESPNU. Valparaiso will head to Illinois for a 7:15 p.m. ET start on ESPN2.

Oakland earned an automatic berth into the field by virtue of its No. 1 seed at the Little Caesars Horizon League Men’s Basketball Championship and shared Horizon League regular-season title with Valparaiso.  The Crusaders were selected to the field as an at-large team.

Horizon League teams have reached the title game of the NIT three times (1989, 1990, 2016). In 2016, Valparaiso advanced to the NIT championship game at Madison Square Garden with victories against Texas Southern, Florida State, St. Mary’s and BYU.

The first three rounds of the NIT are hosted at the campus site of one of the participating teams. For each game, the higher-seeded team will have the first option to host unless logistical circumstances preclude such an opportunity. First Round games will be played March 14 and 15, Second Round games

Game: Valparaiso at Illinois
Date: Tuesday, March 14
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Network: ESPN2

Game: Oakland at Clemson
Date: Tuesday, March 14
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Network: ESPNU