Gophers to play Butler after accepting NIT invitation

The bracket for the 32-team tournament was announced Sunday evening.

After missing out on the NCAA Tournament, the Minnesota Golden Gopher’s men’s basketball team will play in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

The Gophers received an at-large bid to the 32-team tournament in Indianapolis and will face Butler in the first round.

Butler are ranked No. 4 while the Gophers are unseeded. The winner of the game –which will happen at 9 p.m. Wednesday on ESPNU – will play the winner of No. 1 Indiana State vs. SMU, who are unseeded.

Minnesota finished the regular season ninth in the Big Ten, going 18-14 overall and 9-11 in conference play. They lost to Michigan State in the second round of this past week’s Big Ten Tournament at Target Center in Minneapolis. 

Butler also finished the season with an 18-14 overall record.

Minnesota has won the NIT three times: 2014, 1998 and 1993. 

Six teams from the Big Ten made the NCAA Tournament. Purdue is the third No. 1 seed and they are joined by Big Ten Champions Illinois (No. 3), Wisconsin (No. 5), Nebraska (No. 8), Northwestern (No. 9) and Michigan State (No. 9). 

Illinois holds off Wisconsin for Big Ten title

The Gophers huddle up during their game against Nebraska on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024 / Photo by Bjorn Franke, University of Minnesota