NEW YORK - While Utah State and Missouri would rather be playing for an NCAA championship, little Austin Peay is just happy the NIT came calling.

"I am grateful that our players will have a chance to continue playing," Governors coach Dave Loos said. "After the outstanding year they had, it would have been disappointing had they not had the opportunity to play in the postseason."

Austin Peay (21-9) went 16-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference, but lost in the tournament championship to Murray State. The Governors will host Belmont (21-8) in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament, which starts Monday night with a matchup between Toledo (20-10) and Marquette (17-11).

The final is at Madison Square Garden on April 1.

Utah State went 25-3 overall and 17-1 in the Big West, but lost to Cal State-Northridge, a sub-.500 team, in the semifinals of the tournament. Utah State will host Hawaii (19-11) in the first round.

"It really sends a tough message to mid-majors out there. We were nationally ranked for six weeks, won 25 games and went 17-1 in our league, and the bottom line is that you need to win your tournament," coach Stew Morrill said. "Last time we were in this position, we didn't respond very well. We were devastated and didn't play worth a dang in the NIT tournament vs. Montana State (2002)."

Missouri (16-13), one of five Big 12 teams chosen, started the season ranked fifth in the AP poll, but went nearly three months without winning back-to-back games and lost to Kansas by 25 in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals.

Coach Quin Snyder hoped that the Tigers' strength of schedule would be enough to send them to the NCAA tournament for the sixth straight year. Instead, Missouri will be making its first appearance in the NIT since 1998, the year before Snyder was hired.

"We've been told that you're rewarded for playing a difficult schedule, and that wasn't the case here," Snyder said.

If it's any consolation, Snyder will get a first-round matchup against a fellow former assistant to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, Tommy Amaker of Michigan (18-11).

There are 13 teams with 20 or more wins in the field, up from eight last year, and Villanova (16-16) is the only team with the minimum .500 record.

The Big East had four teams selected, and the Atlantic 10, Southeastern Conference, Big Ten and Western Athletic Conference each had three. The Atlantic Coast Conference, Conference USA and Mid-American Conference are sending two teams apiece.

Joining Missouri from the Big 12 will be Colorado (18-10), Nebraska (16-12), Oklahoma (19-10), and Iowa State (17-12).

Colorado finished fourth in the Big 12, but was passed over for the NCAA in favor of Texas Tech, which finished fifth. The Buffaloes will face Oregon (15-12) on Wednesday.

Villanova, Rutgers (16-12), West Virginia (15-13) and Notre Dame (17-12), another bubble team not selected for the NCAA tournament despite winning seven of its final 10, will represent the Big East.

St. John's will not get a chance to defend its NIT title after completing its worst season in 97 years with a 6-21 record.

Villanova, which hosts Drexel (18-10), could face conference foe Rutgers in the quarterfinals. The Scarlet Knights play Temple (15-13) from the Atlantic 10, and Notre Dame matches up against Purdue (17-13) of the Big Ten. West Virginia plays at Kent State (22-8).

Also from the Atlantic 10, Rhode Island (19-13) hosts Boston University (23-5), which lost in the first round of the America East tournament after going 17-1 in the conference. George Washington (18-11) faces Virginia (17-12) from the ACC.

In two Big 12-SEC matchups, Georgia (16-13) goes against Iowa State and Oklahoma hosts LSU (18-10), which lost six of its last seven games.

Also invited were, Creighton (20-8), Tennessee (15-13), George Mason (21-9), Troy State (24-6), Niagara (21-9), Rice (22-10), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (19-10), UNLV (18-12), Boise State (21-9), Iowa (16-12), St. Louis (18-12), Florida State (18-13) and Wichita State (21-10).

AP-ES-03-15-04 0353EST