This was a dangerous season to be the No. 1 seed in your conference tournament. From New Mexico State to Wagner, it was almost impossible to win the automatic bid as the regular season conference champion.

As a result, the 2016 NIT is stacked with mid-major champions, including Monmouth and Valparaiso, who picked up the best seeds in the field of 32, along with St. Bonaventure, a tough out in the Atlantic 10.

The Bonnies will play Wagner in the first round in a tough Northeast battle, with the winner facing either Creighton or Alabama.

Monmouth drew Bucknell in the first round. The winner will match up against George Washington or Hofstra.

Valparaiso will start the tournament against SWAC regular season champion Texas Southern. The winner will move on to face Florida State or Davidson.

Princeton, BYU, Davidson, Hofstra and Long Beach State, all earned at-large bids in the NIT.

The tournament begins on March 15 at campus sites of the better seeds, and continues through the final three games in Madison Square Garden. The NIT semifinals will be held on March 29, with the championship game to be played on Thursday, March 31 at 7 p.m., Eastern.

Here is the complete bracket for the 2016 NIT tournament:

No .1 Valparaiso Crusaders vs. No. 8 Texas Southern Tigers, Mar. 15, 9:15 p.m., ESPN3

No. 4 Florida State Seminoles vs. No. 5 Davidson Wildcats, Mar. 15, 7 p.m., ESPN2

No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No. 6 Belmont Bruins, Mar. 16, 7 p.m., ESPN2

No. 2 St. Mary's Gaels vs. No. 7 New Mexico State Aggies, Mar. 15, 11 p.m., ESPN2

No. 1 St. Bonaventure Bonnies vs. No. 8 Wagner Seahawks, Mar. 16, 7 p.m., ESPN3

No. 4 Creighton Bluejays vs. No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide, Mar. 15, 9 p.m., ESPN

No. 3 Virginia Tech Hokies vs. No. 6 Princeton Tigers, Mar. 16, 8 p.m., ESPNU

No. 2 BYU Cougars vs. No. 7 UAB Blazers, Mar. 16, 10 p.m., ESPNU

No. 1 Monmouth Hawks vs. No. 8 Bucknell Bison, Mar. 16, 7:30 p.m., ESPN3

No. 4 George Washington Colonials vs. No. 5 Hofstra Pride, Mar. 16, 8 p.m., ESPN3

No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 6 Akron Zips, Mar. 15, 7 p.m., ESPN

No. 2 Florida Gators at No. 7 North Florida Ospreys, Mar. 15, 9 p.m., ESPNU

No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No. 8 High Point Panthers, Mar. 15, 7 p.m., ESPNU

No. 4 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. No. 5 Houston Cougars, Mar. 16, 9 p.m., ESPN2

No. 3 Washington Huskies vs. No. 6 Long Beach State 49ers, Mar. 15, 9 p.m., ESPN2

No. 2 San Diego State Aztecs vs. No. 7 IPFW Mastodons, Mar. 15, 10 p.m., ESPN3

All game times Eastern; all games at the better seed except Florida/North Florida.