View source for 2006 National Invitation Tournament

{{ttop|South_Carolina}}
Although it had been a common practice for the NIT to invite conference regular-season champions who failed to secure NCAA bids, beginning in 2006 it became an official policy.  The mid-majors flexed their muscle in the 2006 NIT, with two of those automatic bids winning games, five mid-majors reaching the final 16, and Old Dominion knocking off Hofstra to reach the semifinals.  In the end, however, it was South Carolina for the second year in a row hoisting the trophy in New York -- having knocked off three regional #1 seeds in succession.
=='''Automatic Bids'''==
'''The following teams received automatic bids to the NIT as a result of winning their conference's regular season championship but not receiving an invitation to the NCAA Tournament:'''
*Delaware State ([[{{meac}}]])
*Fairleigh Dickinson ([[{{nec}}]])
*Georgia Southern ([[{{socon}}]])
*Lipscomb ([[{{asun}}]])
*Manhattan ([[{{maac}}]])
*Northern Arizona ([[{{bsky}}]])
*Western Kentucky ([[{{sunb}}]])
=='''Opening Rounds'''==
'''All games at higher seed''' except:
* Cincinnati R1: (7) Miami (OH) at (8) Butler
* Michigan QF: (4) Vanderbilt at (5) Notre Dame

===Maryland Bracket===
{{bracket10-dates | RD1=First Round | RD2=Quarterfinal | RD3=Semifinal | RD4=Final
 | RD1-game1=Mar 14
 | RD1-seed1=8
 | RD1-team1=[[Rutgers]]
 | RD1-score1=76
 | RD1-seed2=7
 | RD1-team2=[[Penn State]]
 | RD1-score2=71
 | RD1-game2=Mar 14
 | RD1-seed3=10
 | RD1-team3=[[Fairleigh Dickinson]]
 | RD1-score4=77
 | RD1-seed4=9
 | RD1-team4=[[Manhattan]]
 | RD1-score4=80
 | RD2-game1=Mar 16
 | RD2-seed1=8
 | RD2-team1=Rutgers
 | RD2-score1=62
 | RD2-seed2=2
 | RD2-team2=[[Saint Joseph's (PA)]]
 | RD2-score2=71
 | RD2-game2=Mar 16
 | RD2-seed3=6
 | RD2-team3=[[Nebraska]]
 | RD2-score3=62
 | RD2-seed4=3
 | RD2-team4=[[Hofstra]]
 | RD2-score4=73
 | RD2-game3=Mar 15
 | RD2-seed5=5
 | RD2-team5=[[Old Dominion]]
 | RD2-score5=79
 | RD2-seed6=4
 | RD2-team6=[[Colorado]]
 | RD2-score6=61
 | RD2-game4=Mar 18
 | RD2-seed7=9
 | RD2-team7=Manhattan
 | RD2-score7=87
 | RD2-seed8=1
 | RD2-team8=[[Maryland]]
 | RD2-score8=84
 | RD3-game1=Mar 20
 | RD3-seed1=2
 | RD3-team1=Saint Joseph's (PA)
 | RD3-score1=75
 | RD3-seed2=3
 | RD3-team2=Hofstra
 | RD3-score2=77
 | RD3-OT1=OT
 | RD3-game2=Mar 20
 | RD3-seed3=5
 | RD3-team3=Old Dominion
 | RD3-score3=70
 | RD3-seed4=9
 | RD3-team4=Manhattan
 | RD3-score4=66
 | RD4-game1=Mar 22
 | RD4-seed1=3
 | RD4-team1=Hofstra
 | RD4-score1=51
 | RD4-seed2=5
 | RD4-team2=Old Dominion
 | RD4-score2=61
}}

===Michigan Bracket===
{{bracket10-dates | RD1=First Round | RD2=Quarterfinals | RD3=Semifinals | RD4=Final
 | RD1-game1=Mar 14
 | RD1-seed1=8
 | RD1-team1=[[Akron]]
 | RD1-score1=80
 | RD1-seed2=7
 | RD1-team2=[[Temple]]
 | RD1-score2=73
 | RD1-game2=Mar 14
 | RD1-seed3=10
 | RD1-team3=[[Lipscomb]]
 | RD1-score3=66
 | RD1-seed4=9
 | RD1-team4=[[Texas-El Paso]]
 | RD1-score4=85
 | RD2-game1=Mar 16
 | RD2-seed1=8
 | RD2-team1=Akron
 | RD2-score1=60
 | RD2-seed2=2
 | RD2-team2=[[Creighton]]
 | RD2-score2=71
 | RD2-game2=Mar 15
 | RD2-seed3=6
 | RD2-team3=[[Oklahoma State]]
 | RD2-score3=59
 | RD2-seed4=3
 | RD2-team4=[[Miami (FL)]]
 | RD2-score4=62
 | RD2-game3=Mar 15
 | RD2-seed5=5
 | RD2-team5=[[Notre Dame]]
 | RD2-score5=79
 | RD2-seed6=4
 | RD2-team6=[[Vanderbilt]]
 | RD2-score6=69
 | RD2-game4=Mar 16
 | RD2-seed7=9
 | RD2-team7=Texas-El Paso
 | RD2-score7=67
 | RD2-seed8=1
 | RD2-team8=[[Michigan]]
 | RD2-score8=82
 | RD3-game1=Mar 20
 | RD3-seed1=2
 | RD3-team1=Creighton
 | RD3-score1=52
 | RD3-seed2=3
 | RD3-team2=Miami (FL)
 | RD3-score2=53
 | RD3-game2=Mar 20
 | RD3-seed3=5
 | RD3-team3=Notre Dame
 | RD3-score3=84
 | RD3-seed4=1
 | RD3-team4=Michigan
 | RD3-score4=87
 | RD4-game1=Mar 22
 | RD4-seed1=3
 | RD4-team1=Miami (FL)
 | RD4-score1=65
 | RD4-seed2=1
 | RD4-team2=Michigan
 | RD4-score2=71
}}

===Louisville Bracket===
{{bracket10-dates | RD1=First Round | RD2=Quarterfinals | RD3=Semifinals | RD4=Final
 | RD1-game1=Mar 14
 | RD1-seed1=8
 | RD1-team1=[[Virginia]]
 | RD1-score1=49
 | RD1-seed2=7
 | RD1-team2=[[Stanford]]
 | RD1-score2=65
 | RD1-game2=Mar 14
 | RD1-seed3=10
 | RD1-team3=[[Delaware State]]
 | RD1-score3=58
 | RD1-seed4=9
 | RD1-team4=[[Northern Arizona]]
 | RD1-score4=53
 | RD2-game1=Mar 17
 | RD2-seed1=7
 | RD2-team1=Stanford
 | RD2-score1=67
 | RD2-seed2=2
 | RD2-team2=[[Missouri State]]
 | RD2-score2=76
 | RD2-game2=Mar 15
 | RD2-seed3=6
 | RD2-team3=[[Brigham Young]]
 | RD2-score3=67
 | RD2-seed4=3
 | RD2-team4=[[Houston]]
 | RD2-score4=77
 | RD2-game3=Mar 15
 | RD2-seed5=5
 | RD2-team5=[[Louisiana Tech]]
 | RD2-score5=53
 | RD2-seed6=4
 | RD2-team6=[[Clemson]]
 | RD2-score6=69
 | RD2-game4=Mar 17
 | RD2-seed7=10
 | RD2-team7=Delaware State
 | RD2-score7=54
 | RD2-seed8=1
 | RD2-team8=[[Louisville]]
 | RD2-score8=71
 | RD3-game1=Mar 20
 | RD3-seed1=2
 | RD3-team1=Missouri State
 | RD3-score1=60
 | RD3-seed2=3
 | RD3-team2=Houston
 | RD3-score2=59
 | RD3-game2=Mar 20
 | RD3-seed3=4
 | RD3-team3=Clemson
 | RD3-score3=68
 | RD3-seed4=1
 | RD3-team4=Louisville
 | RD3-score4=74
 | RD4-game1=Mar 22
 | RD4-seed1=2
 | RD4-team1=Missouri State
 | RD4-score1=56
 | RD4-seed2=1
 | RD4-team2=Louisville
 | RD4-score2=74
}}

===Cincinnati Bracket===
{{bracket10-dates | RD1=First Round | RD2=Quarterfinals | RD3=Semifinals | RD4=Final
 | RD1-game1=Mar 14
 | RD1-seed1=7
 | RD1-team1=[[Miami (OH)]]
 | RD1-score1=52
 | RD1-seed2=8
 | RD1-team2=[[Butler]]
 | RD1-score2=53
 | RD1-game2=Mar 14
 | RD1-seed3=10
 | RD1-team3=[[Georgia Southern]]
 | RD1-score3=61
 | RD1-seed4=9
 | RD1-team4=[[North Carolina-Charlotte|UNC-Charlotte]]
 | RD1-score4=77
 | RD2-game1=Mar 17
 | RD2-seed1=8
 | RD2-team1=Butler
 | RD2-score1=63
 | RD2-seed2=2
 | RD2-team2=[[Florida State]]
 | RD2-score2=67
 | RD2-game2=Mar 15
 | RD2-seed3=6
 | RD2-team3=[[Western Kentucky]]
 | RD2-score3=55
 | RD2-seed4=3
 | RD2-team4=[[South Carolina]]
 | RD2-score4=74
 | RD2-game3=Mar 15
 | RD2-seed5=5
 | RD2-team5=[[Wake Forest]]
 | RD2-score5=58
 | RD2-seed6=4
 | RD2-team6=[[Minnesota]]
 | RD2-score6=73
 | RD2-game4=Mar 17
 | RD2-seed7=9
 | RD2-team7=UNC-Charlotte
 | RD2-score7=80
 | RD2-seed8=1
 | RD2-team8=[[Cincinnati]]
 | RD2-score8=86
 | RD3-game1=Mar 21
 | RD3-seed1=2
 | RD3-team1=Florida State
 | RD3-score1=68
 | RD3-seed2=3
 | RD3-team2=South Carolina
 | RD3-score2=69
 | RD3-game2=Mar 21
 | RD3-seed3=4
 | RD3-team3=Minnesota
 | RD3-score3=62
 | RD3-seed4=1
 | RD3-team4=Cincinnati
 | RD3-score4=76
 | RD4-game1=Mar 23
 | RD4-seed1=3
 | RD4-team1=South Carolina
 | RD4-score1=65
 | RD4-seed2=1
 | RD4-team2=Cincinnati
 | RD4-score2=62
}}

=='''Semifinals and Finals'''==
'''Madison Square Garden, New York City NY'''
===Semifinals & Finals===
{{bracket4 | RD1=Semifinals, March 28 | RD2=Finals, March 30
 | RD1-team1=Old Dominion
 | RD1-score1=43
 | RD1-team2=Michigan
 | RD1-score2=66
 | RD1-team3=Louisville
 | RD1-score3=63
 | RD1-team4=South Carolina
 | RD1-score4=78
 | RD2-team1=Michigan
 | RD2-score1=64
 | RD2-team2=South Carolina
 | RD2-score2=76
}}
'''Most Valuable Player''': Renaldo Balkman, South Carolina
----
{{nitbottom|2006}}