Nebraska fans were giddy with the thought of pulling off a major upset, but alas it was not meant to be as Kansas came away with a 64-54 win in the Big 12 Conference tournament Friday night.
Nebraska led by five at halftime before the fifth-ranked Jayhawks rallied, ending the Huskers' regular season with a 19-12 record. Ade Dagunduro led the Huskers with 13 points, Paul Velander added 12 and senior Aleks Maric put in 10.
So now, the question is -- will the Huskers get a tournament invitiation?
Odds are good that, if they do, it won't be an NCAA tournament bid. Although the Huskers did finish the season seven games above .500, their 9-7 mark in a rather weak Big 12 Conference is not going to help the cause with the NCAA, which will fill the 65-team field with 34 at-large bids.
So now the question is: are the Huskers worthy of an NIT bid?
The answer is "yes" -- the Huskers have performed well enough during the course of the season that they should get one of the 32 bids for the National Invitation Tournament.
In fact, projections are not only for the Huskers to get an NIT bid, but could very well face a rematch in the opening round. Projections are that the Huskers would face Creighton in the first round, although time and location are yet to be determined.
If a Nebraska-Creighton matchup does come around, it will be a great opportunity for fans to see the Huskers and Bluejays lock horns one last time. Earlier in the year, the Bluejays beat the Huskers 74-62, and both teams have faced an up-and-down campaign this year, so it would be a great rematch.
Make sure you secure tickets for whatever Nebraska postseason competition they face with tickets from Ticket Express -- where no Husker game is ever sold out.
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