Minnesota to face No. 1 Indiana State in NIT second round

The second round showdown with the Sycamores will be televised on ESPN2.

The matchup Gophers fans wanted as soon as the NIT bracket was announced Sunday night will officially happen Saturday afternoon. 

Minnesota, after topping Butler 73-72 in the first round of the tournament on Tuesday at Hinkel Fieldhouse, will face No. 1 Indiana State in the second round at 1 p.m. CT Saturday. 

Indiana State was the biggest snub from the NCAA Tournament. With a NET rating of 29th in the country, it's the highest NET rating ever left out of the 68-team tournament field. The Sycamores are 29-6 and advanced to the second round with a 101-92 win over SMU on Wednesday night. 

Saturday's game between the Gophers and Sycamores will be televised on ESPN2. 

The winner will advance to the final eight and face the winner of Cincinnati versus Bradley on March 26 or March 27. 

Indiana State Sycamores center Robbie Avila (21) recovers a rebound from Southern Methodist Mustangs guard Emory Lanier (24) on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, during the first round of the NIT at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute :: © Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK