1987 NIT Men's Basketball Tournamnet

1987 NIT Basketball Tournament

The 1987 NIT Tournament remained at a 32 team field. The preliminary rounds consisting of four regions with eight teams each playing at a teams home site. The four finalists from the regions met at Madison Square Gardeens to determine a champion. The tournament began on Wednesday, March 11, and ended when the Southern Miss Golden Eagles defeated the La Salle Explorers in the NIT championship game on Thursday, March 26, at Madison Square Garden. Coached by M. K. Turk, Southern Mississippi claimed their first NIT title. Randolph Keys of Southern Miss was named the tournament MVP.

1987 NIT Tournament at Madison Square Gardens

Semifinals			National Championship Game

4	La Salle	92
1	Arkansas?Little Rock	73
			2	Southern Miss	84
			4	La Salle	80
2	Southern Miss	82
1	Nebraska	75

Preliminary Rounds (1) held On Campus

Team	Season W-L	Conference	Invitation
Niagara	21-10	ECAC North
Illinois State	19-13	Missouri Valley Conference
Cleveland State	25-8	AMCU-8
La Salle	20-13	MAAC
Villanova	15-16	Big East
Chattanooga	21-8	Southern Conference
Akron	21-9	Ohio Valley Conference
Seton Hall	15-14	Big East

Quarterfinals			Semifinals			Finals

1	Niagara	74
8	Seton Hall	65
				Niagara	81
				La Salle	89
5	Villanova	84
4	La Salle	86

							La Salle	70
							Illinois State	50
3	Cleveland State	92
6	Chattanooga	73
				Illinois State	79
				Cleveland State	77
7	Akron	72
2	Illinois State	79

Preliminary Rounds (2) held On Campus

Team	Season W-L	Conference	Invitation
Arkansas?Little Rock	26-11	Trans America Athletic Conference
California	20-15	Pacific 10
Oregon State	19-11	Pacific 10
Stephen F. Austin	22-8	Gulf Star Conference
James Madison	20-10	CAA
New Mexico	25-10	WAC
Cal State Fullerton	17-13	PCAA
Baylor	18-13	Southwest Conference

Quarterfinals			Semifinals			Finals

1	Arkansas?Little Rock	42
8	Baylor	41
				Arkansas?Little Rock	54
				Stephen F. Austin	48
5	James Madison	63
4	Stephen F. Austin	70

							Arkansas?Little Rock	80
							California	73
3	Oregon State	85
6	New Mexico	82
				California	65
				Oregon State	62
7	Cal State Fullerton	68
2	California	72

Preliminary Rounds (3) held On Campus

Team	Season W-L	Conference	Invitation
Vanderbilt	18-16	SEC
Southern Miss	23-11	Metro Conference
Saint Louis	25-10	Midwestern Conference
Florida State	19-11	Metro Conference
Rhode Island	20-10	Atlantic 10
Saint Peters	21-8	MAAC
Mississippi	15-14	SEC
Jacksonville	19-11	Sun Belt Conference

Quarterfinals			Semifinals			Finals

1	Vanderbilt	74
8	Jacksonville	72
				Vanderbilt	109
				Florida State	92
5	Rhode Island	92
4	Florida State	105

							Vanderbilt	88
							Southern Miss	95
3	Saint Louis	76
6	Saint Peters	60
				Southern Miss	83
				Saint Louis	78
7	Mississippi	75
2	Southern Miss	93

Preliminary Rounds (4) held On Campus

Team	Season W-L	Conference	Invitation
Nebraska	21-12	B ig Eight Conference
Utah	17-13	WAC
Washington	20-15	Pacific 10
Arkansas	19-14	Southwest Conference
Arkansas State	21-13	Southland Conference
Montana State	21-8	Big Sky Conference
Boise State	22-8	Big Sky Conference
Marquette	16-13	Independent

Quarterfinals			Semifinals			Finals

1	Nebraska	78
8	Marquette	76
				Nebraska	78
				Arkansas	71
5	Arkansas State	64
4	Arkansas	67

							Nebraska	81
							Washington	76
3	Washington	98
6	Montana State	90
				Boise State	68
				Washington	73
7	Boise State	62
2	Utah	61