Fresno State snubbed from NIT bid and declines to play in postseason

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- When it comes to "March Madness", making the NCAA Tournament is everything.

But when teams miss out, their consolation is the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). A chance for 32 teams to play for a championship that has its final at Madison Square Garden.

Many thought Fresno State was a lock to make the NIT. With a 23-9 record, the 'Dogs had the best record of a Mountain West school that was left out of "The Big Dance."

But neither the 'Dogs nor the fourth place team in conference San Diego State get in.

Regular season conference champs who don't make the NCAA tournament get an automatic bid to the NIT. But it's those remaining spots that is drawing frustration from the Red Wave. San Diego (21-14), Butler (16-16), Arkansas (17-15) and Wichita State (19-14) all get in, but the 'Dogs are left out.

FS has also declined invites to play in both the College Basketball Invitational ( CBI) and College Insider Postseason Tournament (CIT). Per FS athletic director Terry Tumey, "Those are opportunities that we evaluated and we thought about, but at this point in time we just think this is the best way for us to go."