South Alabama coach Richie Riley explained the situation to AL.com, too. Riley said the Jaguars were offered a spot for NIT on Sunday night at 9:30 p.m. South Alabama ended up getting the invite because UC Riverside, who had received the invite first, had to decline to play in the College Basketball Invitation.

South Alabama's season is over after the team's NIT invitation was rescinded in a manner coach Richie Riley called "unacceptable."  Riley told AL.com he was informed late Sunday evening that his team had been invited to the NIT due to UC Riverside declining its invitation because of a previous commitment to play in the College Basketball Invitational,

Coach Richie Riley slammed an apology given by the NIT, which dropped his Jaguars after learning that UC Riverside was spurning the CBI tournament.