St. Bonaventure hurts Iowa's NIT hopes; last guesses at NCAA field

Iowa's chances for a National Invitation Tournament bid were tough enough without St. Bonaventure winning the Atlantic-10 Conference tournament Sunday. The Bonnies (20-11) weren't a guarantee to make the NIT, much less the NCAA, without winning the A-10. By taking out Xavier, St. Bonaventure pushes an at-large NCAA team into the NIT.

It still might be an easier NIT field for Iowa to enter than last year, however. Regular-season conference champions earn an automatic bid to the NIT if they don't qualify for the NCAA tournament. Last year there were 14 regular-season champs in the NIT field. This year, I calculate 10. They include Stony Brook, Drexel, Valparaiso, Savannah State, Bucknell, Texas-Arlington, Middle Tennessee State, Nevada, Iona (which dropped because of St. Bonaventure's win) and Washington (yes from the Pac-12).

That leaves 22 NIT spots available, and I see about 26 teams competing for those spots. The high-major conference schools include: Northwestern (18-13), Iowa (17-16), Minnesota (19-14); Miami (Fla.) (19-12), Maryland (17-15); Ole Miss (20-13), Mississippi State (21-11), Arkansas (18-14), Tennessee (18-14), LSU (18-14); Arizona (23-11), Stanford (21-11); Seton Hall (20-12), South Florida (20-13). The mid-major schools include: Weber State (24-6), George Mason (24-9), Central Florida (22-10), Marshall (21-13), Akron (22-11), Northern Iowa (19-13), Wagner (25-6), UMass (22-11), Dayton (20-12), LaSalle (21-12), St. Joseph's (20-13) and Wyoming (20-11).

The NIT selection show airs at 8 p.m. Sunday night on ESPNU.

We've got a few hours left before the NCAA tournament selection show (5 p.m. CBS). Here's my last guess at the NCAA Tournament field:

EAST/BOSTON REGION

1. Syracuse vs. 16. Detroit/Mississippi Valley State, Pittsburgh

8. Creighton vs. 9. North Carolina State, Pittsburgh

4. Indiana vs. 13. Ohio, Columbus, Ohio

5. New Mexico vs. 12. St. Louis/Colorado State, Columbus, Ohio

3. Baylor vs. New Mexico State, Albuquerque

6. Vanderbilt vs. 11. Gonzaga, Albuquerque

7. California vs. 10. Xavier, Pittsburgh

2. Ohio State vs. 15. Vermont, Pittsburgh

MIDWEST/ST. LOUIS

1. Missouri vs. 16. Long Island-Brooklyn, Albuquerque, N.M.

8. St. Mary's vs. 9. Alabama, Albuquerque, N.M..

4. Georgetown vs. 13. Montana, Portland, Ore.

5. Florida vs. 12. Oregon/Oral Roberts, Portland, Ore.

3. Michigan vs. 14. Harvard, Columbus, Ohio

6. Notre Dame vs. 11. Southern Miss, Columbus, Ohio

2. North Carolina vs. 15. Norfolk State, Greensboro, N.C.

7. Virginia Commonwealth vs. 10. Kansas State, Greensboro, N.C.

ATLANTA/SOUTH

1. Kentucky vs. 16. Western Kentucky/Lamar, Louisville, Ky.

8. Iowa State vs. 9. West Virginia, Louisville, Ky.

4. Wisconsin vs. 13. Long Beach State, Portland, Ore.

5. Wichita State vs. 12. BYU, Portland, Ore.

3. Marquette vs. 14. South Dakota State, Omaha, Neb.

6. San Diego State vs. 11. Colorado, Omaha, Neb.

7. Virginia  vs. 10. Purdue, Omaha, Neb.

2. Kansas vs. 15. Lehigh, Omaha, Neb.

WEST/PHOENIX

1. Michigan State vs. 16. Loyola (Md.), Louisville, Ky.

8. Cincinnati vs. 9. Temple, Louisville, Ky.

4. Florida State vs. 13. Belmont, Nashville, Tenn.

5. Murray State, vs. 12. St. Bonaventure, Nashville, Tenn.

3. Louisville vs. 14. Davidson, Nashville, Tenn.

6. Memphis vs. 11. Connecticut, Nashville, Tenn.

7. UNLV vs. 10. Texas, Greensboro, N.C.

2. Duke vs. 15. UNC-Asheville, Greensboro, N.C.