Wichita State vs Alabama in the "Little Dance" championship tonight.  Can the Shockers take down the Tide in this year of the "mid major?"   They are the deeper team, and I suspect that may prove decisive this evening.

I must admit that I am a big follower of the NIT, have followed it closely for nearly as long as I've followed college basketball (which despite my relative youth still goes back over 20 years).    There's something interesting about the whole thing.  Teams that are arguably among the top 30-35 in the country, not being able to play for the National Title, but finding motivation to play for a prize nonetheless.  Until recent years, it also seemed to offer more chance for the "little guys" - though the ever since George Mason (if not earlier) we have had our share of success in the NCAA's.

(Also as a historian of the game - the NIT's legacy is pretty awesome.  I mean up until the late 50's it was arguably more prestigious to win and even into the 70's it was a really big deal.  I mean Al Maguire skipped the NCAA's for it back in the day!)

So, I will be tuning in tonight - a huge Shocker fan.  Let's go WSU!