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NIT offers South Alabama 'meaningless apology' after postseason tournament invite gets rescinded

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3 min read

The South Alabama Jaguars men's basketball team will not play in any postseason tournament after having a "prematurely" sent invitation to the NIT rescinded. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

The NIT has apologized to the South Alabama Jaguars for a communication error after prematurely extending the team a postseason tournament invite.

Sun Belt Conference commissioner Keith Gill called South Alabama head coach on Sunday night to inform him of the NIT invitation. But an hour later, head coach Richie Riley was told by Gill and NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt that UC Riverside, who were invited to the NIT before South Alabama, managed to get out of its commitment to take part in a different postseason tournament — the College Basketball Invitational.