For a variety of males’s school basketball applications, their goals of taking part in within the NCAA match had been shattered over the previous few days.
However that doesn’t imply their seasons are over.
The Nationwide Invitation Match, or NIT, is again for yet one more 12 months. Billed as “Faculty Basketball’s Starting,” the NIT is the oldest — and was at one time probably the most prestigious — postseason match in school basketball.
Through the years, the format for the NIT has developed. Whereas Madison Sq. Backyard in New York Metropolis was as soon as the house for the ultimate rounds, the NCAA moved the NIT a season in the past. Final 12 months the match moved to Las Vegas, with Orleans Enviornment internet hosting the 2023 semifinals, in addition to the championship sport. UNLV served because the host college final season.
This 12 months Butler will act because the host college, with the semifinals and the championship sport being performed at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Since 2017, the regular-season champion for every convention had been capable of finding a house within the NIT, if they didn’t win their convention match. Nonetheless, final October the NIT Board of Administrators made an opportunity to that qualification course of. This season the NIT will assure two groups (based mostly on the NET rankings) from every of the Energy Six conferences (Atlantic Coast, Massive East, Massive Ten, Massive 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern) a spot within the NIT subject. The highest two groups within the NET rankings not qualifying for the NCAA males’s basketball match from every convention, no matter win-loss report, can be chosen.
Moreover, the 12 groups routinely chosen by this course of can be assured the chance to host a sport within the first spherical of the NIT.
As soon as the 12 automated qualifying faculties have been chosen, the NIT Committee will choose the 20 greatest groups obtainable to finish the match’s 32-team subject. Based mostly on the NIT Committee’s analysis, the perfect 4 groups of the 20 at-large groups chosen will full the 16 first-round hosts, with deference given to the “first 4 groups out” of the NCAA Match. Extra groups from the six conferences with automated {qualifications} are eligible to be chosen as at-large groups and could be chosen as hosts.
The primary spherical is ready to happen on March 19-20 at campus websites, with the second spherical on March 23-24 and the third spherical on March 26-27. These video games as nicely can be held on campus websites. 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 sport is ready for April 4 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, and can be broadcast on ESPN.
Your complete NIT can be broadcast on ESPN, with video games on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU, however first we have to see who can be within the subject. Right here’s the small print for how one can watch on Sunday, after the NCAA Match has been chosen. You’ll be capable to guess on the NIT at DraftKings Sportsbook as soon as the bracket is settled.
Date: Sunday, March 17
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Streaming: Watch ESPN and ESPN+