NIT Second Round: Top Seeds, Upsets, and Quarterfinals

0:00On March 22nd, the men's national invitation tournament rolls into its second round this weekend with 16 teams still in the hunt. Topsees like Auburn, New Mexico, Wake Forest, and Tulsa all advanced easily in the first round, beating out lower seeds by solid margins. Dayton also moved on after topping Bradley 80-66 while upsets like UNC Wilmington's narrow 68-67 win over Yale, kept things exciting. Saturday kicks off with Liberty Facing No. 2, Nevada at APM, Central on ESPN Plus, followed by UNC Wilmington taking on Dayton at 6pm, on the same channel. Sunday packs in more action, starting with No. 1, Wake Forest vs Illinois State at 3.30 p.m. on ESPN 2, then Auburn against Seattle, University at 5.30 p.m., also on ESPN 2. Fans and betters are buzzing over the matchups, with heavy favorites emerging in the odds. Auburn leads as a 13.5 favorite over Seattle, while Nevada sits at 7.5 over Liberty in

1:05New Mexico at 7.5, against George Washington. Analytics from sites like The Barking Crow put Auburn at 30% to win it all, followed by New Mexico at 18% in Tulsa at 10%. Other intriguing games Sunday include Tulsa vs. UNLV at 6pm on ESPN 2, which it all state against Oklahoma State at 7.30 p.m. on ESPN 2. And St. Joseph's taking on California at 8pm on ESPN 2. These campus side battles highlight mid-major talent stepping up alongside power programs. After finals hit next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, leading to semi-finals in Indianapolis on April 2nd and the title game April 5th. Keep an eye on these games as the field narrows toward a champion.