North Carolina, UConn lend big names NIT field

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/14/2010 -

NEW YORK (AP) -North Carolina and Connecticut are lending some serious star power to the NIT.

The Tar Heels were a No. 4 seed in the bracket released Sunday, the second time in the past three years that the defending national champion missed the NCAA tournament. Florida also played in the NIT in 2008 after winning the title.

Connecticut is the other blueblood relegated to the NIT, also picked as a fourth seed after a trying season in which coach Jim Calhoun missed time with a medical condition.

The No. 1 seeds were Illinois, Arizona State, Virginia Tech and Mississippi State, which lost in overtime to Kentucky in the SEC title game on Sunday.

The tournament begins March 16 at campus sites. The championship game is April 1 at Madison Square Garden.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.