South Alabama livid as NCAA rescinds NIT invitation: 'An absolute joke'

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It might not be the NCAA Tournament, but the governing body’s massive blunder in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) has one team livid. 

South Alabama was notified by the NCAA and Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill, who serves as vice chair of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, that they were extended a bid into the NIT late Sunday night. 

But just one hour after doing so, head coach Richie Riley tells AL.com that the invitation was rescinded, breaking the hearts of his program. 

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South Alabama Jaguars head coach Richie Riley watches during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at C.M. 'Tad' Smith Coliseum. (Petre Thomas/Imagn Images)

"It’s just unfair for our players," Riley explained. "We’ve got a team with zero NIL. They’re a bunch of underdogs that fought their asses off. And now I have to tell them they’re not in the NIT. It’s just an absolute joke."

For the NCAA Tournament bracket, teams like West Virginia were appalled they didn’t make it in, but they were also on the bubble. South Alabama getting the invite just to have it ripped away is a much worse pill to swallow. 

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Riley detailed the situation to AL.com, saying that Gill and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt called him at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday with the invitation because UC Riverside committed to the College Basketball Invitational instead.

However, that commitment came before UC Riverside was extended the NIT invite. With UC Riverside wanting in, the NCAA rescinded South Alabama’s