The 2016 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) was a postseason

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of 26

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Division I

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s. The first round was played March 14–16, 2016. The second round March 18–20, Quarterfinals March 22–24 the semifinals March 27, and the championship game was played on March 29 Participants who belonged to "

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, not invited to the 2016 NCAA Tournament,

National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York City ...

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or the

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made up the field. An experimental rule allowing players six personal fouls instead of five was used in all 2016 national postseason tournaments except for the NCAA Tournament. Originally set to include 32 teams, the 2016 tournament consisted of 26 participants. After all 26 teams played in the first round, the top-three highest rated teams based on the

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regular season rating automatically advanced to the quarterfinals. Columbia beat

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73–67 in the championship game to give the

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just its second postseason tournament title in conference history (

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won the 1975 NIT).

Participating teams

The following teams received an invitation to the 2016 CIT:

Format

The CIT uses the old NIT model in which there is no set bracket. Future round opponents are determined by the results of the previous round. After all 26 teams played in the first round, the top-three highest rated teams based on the

regular season rating automatically advanced to the quarterfinals.

Coach John McLendon Classic

The Coach

John McLendon John B. McLendon Jr. (April 5, 1915 – October 8, 1999) was an American basketball coach who is recognized as the first African American basketball coach at a predominantly white university and the first African American head coach in any professi ...

Classic was televised March 14, on

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as part of the CIT. The Classic will feature at least one historically black college/university. The winner of the John McLendon Classic advanced to the second round of the CIT. This will be the first time in NCAA Division I Basketball history, that a "Classic" has been part of a postseason tournament. Previously the John McLendon Classic was played during the regular season.

Schedule

Bracket

''Bracket is for visual purposes only. The CIT does not have a set bracket.'' ''Home teams listed second.''
* Denotes overtime period.

References

{{2016 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament navbox

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CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament