/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/5686717/20120225_pjc_bc1_106.jpg)
The 2012 NIT bracket will be formally announced at 9 p.m. on Sunday night on ESPNU, and a couple local teams are looking to claim spots in the field. George Mason is the top local team expected to garner interest, while Maryland has an outside chance at reaching the field after missing out last season.
The Patriots finished third in the Colonial Athletic Association under new coach Paul Hewitt, but fell in the CAA semifinals to eventual champion VCU. The Patriots have already announced they will not accept bids to the CBI or CIT if they are passed over by the NIT.
The Terps, meanwhile, still have an outside chance after a quarterfinal loss to North Carolina in the 2012 ACC Tournament. Mark Turgeon's squad was passed over surprisingly last year, so they are hoping to earn some kind of postseason berth this time around.
For more on the 2012 NIT, visit this StoryStream. For more on the Terps, visit Testudo Times.