Following NCAA Snub, Seton Hall Lands No. 1 Seed In NIT

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) — Seton Hall was hoping to get sent anywhere in the NCAA tournament. Instead, they wound up at home with a No. 1 seed in the NIT.

Tennessee, Washington and Arizona also received top seeds Sunday night for the 75th NIT, which begins Tuesday and concludes with the March 29 championship game at Madison Square Garden.

"Well, obviously we are disappointed," Pirates coach Kevin Willard said in a conference call Sunday. "But still excited, very excited about being in the NIT, and having a chance to still play basketball."

Nine teams from the Big East received NCAA bids. Seton Hall, seeded 10th in the conference tournament, was left out.

Next up, the Pirates (20-12) host America East regular-season champion Stony Brook (22-9) on Tuesday night.

"My two seniors (Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope) took it hard. Really hard," Willard said. "It was tough to console them, because it was a really emotional time for both of them. They both gave so much this year to us, and both have come through so much at this university."

Drexel, also snubbed by the NCAA selection committee, got a No. 3 seed and will host Central Florida in the first round. Other notable teams in the 32-team field are Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Nevada, Northwestern and Oral Roberts.

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