Starting the year by winning 11 of their first 13 games, the Nebraska Cornhuskers looked like they were on their way to at least an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. Instead, their season quickly went downhill, and they'll be joining the Hoosiers in the NIT Tournament.

The Huskers did their best to make a case for themselves at the end of the season. Late wins over the NCAA Tournament-bound Iowa Hawkeyes and Maryland Terrapins -- helped by dynamic performances from James Palmer Jr., their senior guard who averaged 19.6 points this season -- at least ensured a winning record, but they came too late to convince the committee that they belonged.

To add insult to injury, numberFire's 36th-ranked team by nERD will have to settle for just a 4 seed in the NIT tournament. If nothing else, they'll have a chip on their shoulder when they face the Butler Bulldogs on Wednesday.