Just for clarity for some who can't understand non-literal non-explicitly stated thinking.......there are 36 at large berths. There 32 automatics, some of which go to teams that would get at large berths if they hadn't made it. You can reasonably assume that at least 40-45 or so best teams in the country are in the Dance. They therefore aren't in the NIT. Therefore the level of competition in the NCAA is much higher than that provided by the lessor teams in the NIT. Facts are facts.