2009 National Invitation Tournament

{{Infobox college basketball tournament | Type = NIT

| Gender=

| Year=2009

| Image=

| ImageSize=

| Caption=

| Teams=32

| FinalFourArena=Madison Square Garden

| FinalFourCity=New York City

| Champions=Penn State Nittany Lions

| TitleCount=1st

| RunnerUp=Baylor Bears

| GameCount=1st

| Semifinal1=Notre Dame Fighting Irish

| SemifinalCount=6th

| Semifinal2=San Diego State Aztecs

| SemifinalCount2=1st

| Coach=Ed DeChellis

| CoachCount=1st

| MOP=Jamelle Cornley

| MOPTeam=Penn State

}}

The 2009 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams that were not selected to participate in the 2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The 72nd annual tournament began on March 17 on campus sites and ended on April 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with Penn State winning the final 69–63 over Baylor.

Participants

=Automatic qualifiers=

The following teams won their conference regular season title, but failed to win conference post season tournaments. Therefore, they were not awarded their respective conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. When they did not receive at-large selections to the NCAA tournament either, they automatically qualified for the 2009 NIT.

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"

!Team

!Conference

!Record

! data-sort-type="number" |Appearance

!Last bid

align=left|Bowling Green

|align=left|MAC

|19–13

|14th

|2002

align=left|Davidson

|align=left|Southern

|26–7

|5th

|2005

align=left|{{cbb link|2008|sex=men|team=Jacksonville Dolphins|school=Jacksonville University|title=Jacksonville}}

|align=left|Atlantic Sun

|18–13

|5th

|1987

align=left|{{cbb link|2008|sex=men|team=UT Martin Skyhawks|school=University of Tennessee at Martin|title=UT Martin}}

|align=left|Ohio Valley

|22–9

|1st

|Never

align=left|{{cbb link|2008|sex=men|team=Weber State Wildcats|school=Weber State University|title=Weber State}}

|align=left|Big Sky

|21–9

|2nd

|1984

=Seedings=

valign=top |

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Seed

!School

!Conference

!Record

!Berth type

align=center|1

|San Diego State

|MWC

|align=center|23–9

|At-large

align=center|2

|Saint Mary's

|WCC

|align=center|26–6

|At-large

align=center|3

|South Carolina

|SEC

|align=center|21–9

|At-large

align=center|4

|Kansas State

|Big 12

|align=center|21–11

|At-large

align=center|5

|Illinois State

|MVC

|align=center|24–9

|At-large

align=center|6

|Davidson

|SoCon

|align=center|26–7

|Automatic

align=center|7

|Washington State

|Pac-10

|align=center|17–15

|At-large

align=center|8

|Weber State

|Big Sky

|align=center|21–9

|Automatic

| valign=top |

class="wikitable sortable"

!Seed

!School

!Conference

!Record

!Berth type

align=center|1

|Auburn

|SEC

|align=center|22–11

|At-large

align=center|2

|Virginia Tech

|ACC

|align=center|18–14

|At-large

align=center|3

|Baylor

|Big 12

|align=center|20–14

|At-large

align=center|4

|Tulsa

|C-USA

|align=center|24–10

|At-large

align=center|5

|Northwestern

|Big Ten

|align=center|17–13

|At-large

align=center|6

|Georgetown

|Big East

|align=center|16–14

|At-large

align=center|7

|Duquesne

|A-10

|align=center|21–12

|At-large

align=center|8

|UT Martin

|OVC

|align=center|22–9

|Automatic

|-

| valign=top |

class="wikitable sortable"

!Seed

!School

!Conference

!Record

!Berth type

align=center|1

|Creighton

|MVC

|align=center|26–7

|At-large

align=center|2

|Notre Dame

|Big East

|align=center|18–14

|At-large

align=center|3

|New Mexico

|MWC

|align=center|21–11

|At-large

align=center|4

|Kentucky

|SEC

|align=center|20–13

|At-large

align=center|5

|UNLV

|MWC

|align=center|21–10

|At-large

align=center|6

|Nebraska

|Big 12

|align=center|18–12

|At-large

align=center|7

|UAB

|C-USA

|align=center|22–11

|At-large

align=center|8

|Bowling Green

|MAC

|align=center|19–13

|Automatic

| valign=top |

class="wikitable sortable"

!Seed

!School

!Conference

!Record

!Berth type

align=center|1

|Florida

|SEC

|align=center|23–10

|At-large

align=center|2

|Penn State

|Big Ten

|align=center|22–11

|At-large

align=center|3

|Niagara

|MAAC

|align=center|26–8

|At-large

align=center|4

|Miami (FL)

|ACC

|align=center|18–12

|At-large

align=center|5

|Providence

|Big East

|align=center|19–13

|At-large

align=center|6

|Rhode Island

|A-10

|align=center|22–10

|At-large

align=center|7

|George Mason

|CAA

|align=center|22–10

|At-large

align=center|8

|Jacksonville

|A-Sun

|align=center|18–13

|Automatic

|}

Bracket

Played on the home court of the higher-seeded team (except #4 Miami (FL) at #5 Providence)

{{8TeamBracket

| RD1=First round

| RD2=Second round

| RD3=Quarterfinals

| RD1-seed1=1

| RD1-team1=San Diego State

| RD1-score1=65

| RD1-seed2=8

| RD1-team2=Weber State

| RD1-score2=49

| RD1-seed3=4

| RD1-team3=Kansas State

| RD1-score3=83*

| RD1-seed4=5

| RD1-team4=Illinois State

| RD1-score4=79

| RD1-seed5=3

| RD1-team5=South Carolina

| RD1-score5=63

| RD1-seed6=6

| RD1-team6=Davidson

| RD1-score6=70

| RD1-seed7=2

| RD1-team7=Saint Mary's

| RD1-score7=68

| RD1-seed8=7

| RD1-team8=Washington State

| RD1-score8=57

| RD2-seed1=1

| RD2-team1=San Diego State

| RD2-score1=70

| RD2-seed2=4

| RD2-team2=Kansas State

| RD2-score2=52

| RD2-seed3=6

| RD2-team3=Davidson

| RD2-score3=68

| RD2-seed4=2

| RD2-team4=Saint Mary's

| RD2-score4=80

| RD3-seed1=1

| RD3-team1=San Diego State

| RD3-score1=70

| RD3-seed2=2

| RD3-team2=Saint Mary's

| RD3-score2=66

}}

{{8TeamBracket

| RD1=First round

| RD2=Second round

| RD3=Quarterfinals

| RD1-seed1=1

| RD1-team1=Auburn

| RD1-score1=87

| RD1-seed2=8

| RD1-team2=UT Martin

| RD1-score2=82

| RD1-seed3=4

| RD1-team3=Tulsa

| RD1-score3=68

| RD1-seed4=5

| RD1-team4=Northwestern

| RD1-score4=59

| RD1-seed5=3

| RD1-team5=Baylor

| RD1-score5=74

| RD1-seed6=6

| RD1-team6=Georgetown

| RD1-score6=72

| RD1-seed7=2

| RD1-team7=Virginia Tech

| RD1-score7=116**

| RD1-seed8=7

| RD1-team8=Duquesne

| RD1-score8=108

| RD2-seed1=1

| RD2-team1=Auburn

| RD2-score1=74

| RD2-seed2=4

| RD2-team2=Tulsa

| RD2-score2=55

| RD2-seed3=3

| RD2-team3=Baylor

| RD2-score3=84

| RD2-seed4=2

| RD2-team4=Virginia Tech

| RD2-score4=66

| RD3-seed1=1

| RD3-team1=Auburn

| RD3-score1=72

| RD3-seed2=3

| RD3-team2=Baylor

| RD3-score2=74

}}

{{8TeamBracket

| RD1=First round

| RD2=Second round

| RD3=Quarterfinals

| RD1-seed1=1

| RD1-team1=Creighton

| RD1-score1=73

| RD1-seed2=8

| RD1-team2=Bowling Green

| RD1-score2=71

| RD1-seed3=4

| RD1-team3=Kentucky

| RD1-score3=70

| RD1-seed4=5

| RD1-team4=UNLV

| RD1-score4=60

| RD1-seed5=3

| RD1-team5=New Mexico

| RD1-score5=83

| RD1-seed6=6

| RD1-team6=Nebraska

| RD1-score6=71

| RD1-seed7=2

| RD1-team7=Notre Dame

| RD1-score7=70

| RD1-seed8=7

| RD1-team8=UAB

| RD1-score8=64

| RD2-seed1=1

| RD2-team1=Creighton

| RD2-score1=63

| RD2-seed2=4

| RD2-team2=Kentucky

| RD2-score2=65

| RD2-seed3=3

| RD2-team3=New Mexico

| RD2-score3=68

| RD2-seed4=2

| RD2-team4=Notre Dame

| RD2-score4=70

| RD3-seed1=4

| RD3-team1=Kentucky

| RD3-score1=67

| RD3-seed2=2

| RD3-team2=Notre Dame

| RD3-score2=77

}}

{{8TeamBracket

| RD1=First round

| RD2=Second round

| RD3=Quarterfinals

| RD1-seed1=1

| RD1-team1=Florida

| RD1-score1=84

| RD1-seed2=8

| RD1-team2=Jacksonville

| RD1-score2=62

| RD1-seed3=4

| RD1-team3=Miami (FL)

| RD1-score3=78

| RD1-seed4=5

| RD1-team4=Providence

| RD1-score4=66

| RD1-seed5=3

| RD1-team5=Niagara

| RD1-score5=62

| RD1-seed6=6

| RD1-team6=Rhode Island

| RD1-score6=68

| RD1-seed7=2

| RD1-team7=Penn State

| RD1-score7=77*

| RD1-seed8=7

| RD1-team8=George Mason

| RD1-score8=73

| RD2-seed1=1

| RD2-team1=Florida

| RD2-score1=74

| RD2-seed2=4

| RD2-team2=Miami (FL)

| RD2-score2=60

| RD2-seed3=6

| RD2-team3=Rhode Island

| RD2-score3= 72

| RD2-seed4=2

| RD2-team4=Penn State

| RD2-score4=83

| RD3-seed1= 1

| RD3-team1= Florida

| RD3-score1=62

| RD3-seed2= 2

| RD3-team2= Penn State

| RD3-score2=71

}}

=Semifinals and finals=

Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31 and April 2

{{4TeamBracket

| RD1=Semifinals

| RD2=Final

| RD1-seed1=1

| RD1-team1=San Diego State

| RD1-score1=62

| RD1-seed2=3

| RD1-team2=Baylor

| RD1-score2=76

| RD1-seed3=2

| RD1-team3=Notre Dame

| RD1-score3=59

| RD1-seed4=2

| RD1-team4=Penn State

| RD1-score4=67

| RD2-seed1=3

| RD2-team1=Baylor

| RD2-score1=63

| RD2-seed2=2

| RD2-team2=Penn State

| RD2-score2=69

}}

* denotes each overtime played

Game summaries

=NIT Championship=

class="wikitable" align=right style="text-align:center"

!Team

!1st half

!2nd half

!Final

align=left|Penn State

| 25

| 44

| 69

align=left|Baylor

| 29

| 34

| 63

The Penn State Nittany Lions faced off against the Baylor Bears in the NIT Championship game. The Nittany Lions won the matchup 69–63, aided by Jamelle Cornley's 18 points. In a four-point deficit at the half, the Lions went on a 7–1 spurt to take a 2-point lead at the beginning of the second. After the Bears tied it at 37, Penn State made three consecutive threes from which Baylor could not recover.{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/472/story/1121526.html|title=Recap: Penn State vs. Baylor|date=April 2, 2009|work=Kansas City Star|access-date=2009-04-06}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}