The 2016 NIT bracket is set, and the defending NIT Champions are nowhere to be found. For those wondering or perhaps worrying, if Johnny Dawkins could rally the Stanford Men's basketball team to a tournament run that could impact his job status, the NIT will not be that tournament. No one expected Stanford to receive an invite to March Madness, but they were still a bubble team for the NIT. Tonight, that bubble officially burst.
Stanford finished 15-15 this season and 8-10 in a loaded Pac-12 Conference. Stanford was able to pull off wins against several teams selected for the 2016 NCAA Tournament including Conference champion and #1 seed Oregon, as well as Utah, Cal, and USC but the Cardinal was just too inconsistent and mediocre to overcome injuries, suspensions, and a tough schedule.