It is worth noting that it is laughably early to be publishing any bracket projections for next season, especially an NIT bracket. Players are still deciding where and if they'll play, teams are still recruiting, and lots could change in the next few weeks. Heck teams are even changing conferences for next season still!
That said, it's still fun to think about what next season could look like, which is why I've put together this Way Too Early NIT bracket. During the construction I used a combination of Bart Torvik's 2024 projections, Joe Lunardi's NCAA bracketology, and just some gut feel.
There's some wide disagreement between all three of those sources: Arizona St. doesn't appear in this bracket because I tried to split the difference between Lunardi (likes them a lot) and Torvik (below .500) and couldn't find a spot I liked. Cal is a hot team right now on the transfer market, and while I like what Mark Madsen is building, I have no idea how that team will perform. I feel similarly about St. John's. I have the Red Storm playing a road game in the NIT in Rick Pitino's first season, which is not what SJU fans are looking for.
Still, there's a long way to go. We won't even play any games for almost six more months. This is all just a little bit of fun while we wait.
Bracketing side note: Colorado St. and Utah were the two toughest teams to find a game for in the bracket. (Or Washington depending on your opinin of the Utes vs. the Huskies.)
Bracket (U means unseeded, italics is bubble):
1. BYU
U. Washington
4. UNLV
U. Nebraska
3. Michigan
U. Mississippi
2. New Mexico
U. Santa Clara
1. Ohio St.
U. St. Bonaventure
4. Virginia
U. St. John's
3. Cincinnati
U. Pittsburgh
2. Iowa
U. Georgia
1. Virginia Tech
U. Colorado St.
4. VCU
U. Seton Hall
3. UAB
U. Oklahoma St.
2. Mississippi St.
U. Stephen F. Austin
1. Iowa St.
U. Bradley
4. Duquesne
U. Wake Forest
3. LSU
U. North Texas
2. Miami FL
U. Utah
