The November tournament, which takes place just before Thanksgiving, was won last season by North Carolina. Kansas has previously won the event – in 2012 – and finished 2nd – to Syracuse in 2008.
UAB was led last season by former Jayhawks guard Jerod Haase, who has since left to be the head coach at Stanford. His former assistant, Robert Ehsan, is now the head coach – his first head coaching job. The Blazers return four starters from their run to the NIT tournament last season – Hakeem Baxter, Nick Norton, Chris Cokley, and William Lee.
George Washington is coming off their NIT Tournament Championship where they beat San Diego State and Valporaiso in the Final Four at Madison Square Garden.