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Here’s how you can follow the announcement of the NIT bracket
For a number of men’s college basketball programs, their dreams of playing in the NCAA tournament were shattered over the past few days.
But that does not mean their seasons are over.
The National Invitation Tournament, or NIT, is back for yet another year. Billed as “College Basketball’s Beginning,” the NIT is the oldest — and was at one time the most prestigious — postseason tournament in college basketball.
Over the years, the format for the NIT has evolved. While Madison Square Garden in New York City was once the home for the final rounds, the NCAA moved the NIT a season ago. Last year the tournament moved to Las Vegas, with Orleans Arena hosting the 2023 semifinals, as well as the championship game. UNLV served as the host school last season.
This year Butler will act as the host school, with the semifinals and the championship game being played at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Since 2017, the regular-season champion for each conference had been able to find a home in the NIT, if they did not win their conference tournament. However, last October the NIT Board of Directors made a chance to that qualification process. This season the NIT will guarantee two teams (based on the NET rankings) from each of the Power Six conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern) a spot in the NIT field. The top two teams in the NET rankings not qualifying for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament from each conference, regardless of win-loss record, will be selected.
Additionally, the 12 teams automatically selected through this process will be guaranteed the opportunity to host a game in the first round of the NIT.
Once the 12 automatic qualifying schools have been selected, the NIT Committee will select the 20 best teams available to complete the tournament’s 32-team field. Based on the NIT Committee’s evaluation, the best four teams of the 20 at-large teams selected will complete the 16 first-round hosts, with deference given to the “first four teams out” of the NCAA Tournament. Additional teams from the six conferences with automatic qualifications are eligible to be selected as at-large teams and can be selected as hosts.
The first round is set to take place on March 19-20 at campus sites, with the second round on March 23-24 and the third round on March 26-27. Those games as well will be held on campus sites. The 2024 NIT semifinals are scheduled for April 2 at Hinkle Fieldhouse on ESPN (first semifinal) and ESPN2 (second semifinal), and the 2024 NIT Championship game is set for April 4 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, and will be broadcast on ESPN.
The entire NIT will be broadcast on ESPN, with games on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU, but first we need to see who will be in the field. Here’s the details for how you can watch on Sunday, after the NCAA Tournament has been selected. You’ll be able to bet on the NIT at DraftKings Sportsbook once the bracket is settled.
Date: Sunday, March 17
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Streaming: Watch ESPN and ESPN+
