1972 NIT Basketball Tournament

The 1972 NIT was a single game elimination tournament, consisting of sixteen (16) teams. All games were played at Madison Square Gardens in New York City. The Maryland Terrapins coached by Lefty Driesell secured their first NIT title defeating the Niagara Purple Eagles in the championship game. Tom McMillen of Maryland was named the tournament MVP.

1972 NIT Tournament at Madison Square Gardens

Seed	Team	Season W-L	Conference	Invitation
1	Lafayette	20-5	Middle Atlantic Conference
2	Niagara	21-9	Independent
3	Oral Roberts	26-2	Independent
4	Syracuse	22-6	Independent
5	Maryland	27-6	ACC
6	St. Johns	19-11	Independent
7	Princeton	20-7	Ivy League
8	Jacksonville	20-8	Independent
9	Fordham	18-9	Independent
10	Indiana	17-8	Big Ten
11	Missouri	21-6	Big Eight Conference
12	Saint Josephs	19-9	Middle Atlantic Conference
13	Davidson	19-9	Southern Conference
14	Memphis	21-7	Missouri Valley
15	UTEP	20-7	WAC
16	Virginia	21-7	ACC

First round			NIT Quarterfinals			NIT Semifinals			NIT Championship

1	Lafayette	72
16	Virginia	71
			1	Lafayette	76

			8	Jacksonville	87
8	Jacksonville	94

9	Fordham	75
						8	Jacksonville	77

						5	Maryland	91
5	Maryland	67

12	Saint Josephs	55
			5	Maryland	71

			4	Syracuse	65
13	Davidson	55

4	Syracuse	81
									5	Maryland	100

									2	Niagara	69
6	St. Johns	82

11	Missouri	81
			6	St. Johns	94

			3	Oral Roberts	78
14	Memphis	74

3	Oral Roberts	94
						6	St. Johns	67

						2	Niagara	69
7	Princeton	68

10	Indiana	60
			7	Princeton	60

			2	Niagara	65
15	UTEP	57

2	Niagara	Bye