The NIT (National Invitation Tournament) features teams that didn’t make it to March Madness, or what’s otherwise known as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is more popular and generates far more views than the NIT. The price at stake is far higher than NIT’s too.
The NIT is just a second-tier basket tournament, though the games are accessible. In addition, you can watch their games live on ESPN from the comfort of your home.
We discussed the NIT bracketology, schedule and other things you need to know here. Read on!
Where Will The NIT Be Played In 2023?
The 2023 NIT will be played in Las Vegas. There was a nationwide bidding process, with Vegas emerging as the winner to host the 2023 NIT.
The NIT has been played yearly since 1938, except for 2020, because of the global pandemic that struck the country.
Indianapolis has been chosen to host the 2024 NIT. So, next year, all attention will turn to Indianapolis.
The NIT might be a second-tier tournament in college basketball. But it’s always as intense as every other tournament. The games are fun to watch, so if you have the time, and resources, head to Las Vegas.
However, if you can’t be physically present, you can watch the NIT games on ESPN.
Who Is In The NIT Tournament 2023?
The 2023 National Invitation Tournament features several teams in the “bubble” but weren’t lucky enough to reach the March Madness or NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. This year, the tournament promises to be action-packed and intense.
Several teams were invited to participate in the tournament. In total, 32 teams were invited, while two declined.
The two teams that declined invitation are:
- North Carolina
- Dayton
The rest of the teams were announced via the NCAA selection show aired on ESPNU on March 12.
NIT features a single-elimination tournament of 32 NCAA Division I men’s college basketball teams. The teams playing at the NCAA weren’t selected to participate in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The tournament also begins on March 14, as announced on ESPNU, and ends on March 30, 2023.
The first three rounds of this single-elimination tournament will be played on campuses. At the same time, the semi-final and championship final will take place at the Orleans Arena in the Las Vegas Valley.
A Handy Tip: The Xavier Musketeers won the NIT title in 2022.
Here are the names of the teams that are featured in 2023. The first 11 teams are automatic qualifiers, while the No. 12 to 32 on the list were teams awarded at-large bids.
| Teams | Conference | Team’s Overall Record | Appearance | |
| 1. | Eastern Washington | Big Sky | 22–10 | 2nd |
| 2. | UC Irvine | Big West | 23–11 | 7th |
| 3. | Hofstra | CAA | 24–9 | 7th |
| 4. | Youngstown State | Horizon | 24–9 | 1st |
| 5. | Yale | Ivy League | 21–8 | 2nd |
| 6. | Toledo | MAC | 27–7 | 10th |
| 7. | Bradley | MVC | 25–9 | 22nd |
| 8. | Morehead State | OVC | 21–11 | 1st |
| 9. | Southern Miss | Sun Belt | 25–7 | 11th |
| 10. | Alcorn State | SWAC | 18–13 | 4th |
| 11. | Utah Valley | WAC | 25–8 | 2nd |
| 12. | Cincinnati | American | 21–12 | 11th |
| 13. | Clemson | ACC | 23–10 | 18th |
| 14. | Colorado | Pac-12 | 17–16 | 13th |
| 15. | Florida | SEC | 16–16 | 11th |
| 16. | Liberty | ASUN | 26–8 | 1st |
| 17. | Michigan | Big Ten | 17–15 | 10th |
| 18. | New Mexico | Mountain West | 22–11 | 20th |
| 19. | North Texas | Conference USA | 26–7 | 2nd |
| 20. | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | 18–15 | 13th |
| 21. | Oregon | Pac-12 | 19–14 | 13th |
| 22. | Rutgers | Big Ten | 19–14 | 15th |
| 23. | Sam Houston | WAC | 25–7 | 2nd |
| 24. | Santa Clara | West Coast | 23–9 | 7th |
| 25. | Seton Hall | Big East | 17–15 | 18th |
| 26. | UAB | Conference USA | 25–9 | 13th |
| 27. | UCF | American | 18–14 | 3rd |
| 28. | Vanderbilt | SEC | 20–14 | 14th |
| 29. | Villanova | Big East | 17–16 | 18th |
| 30. | Virginia Tech | ACC | 19–14 | 14th |
| 31. | Washington State | Pac-12 | 17–16 | 7th |
| 32. | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 17–14 | 5th |
Here Is The 2023 NIT Bracketology Group 1
| First RoundMarch 14 – 15, 2023 | Second RoundMarch 18 – 19, 2023 | Quarter-final March 21, 2023 | Semi-Final | ||
| Oklahoma State – 69 | Oklahoma State – 71 | Oklahoma State – 59 | North Texas | ||
| Youngstown State – 64 | |||||
| Washington State – 74 | Eastern Washington – 60 | ||||
| Eastern Washington – 81 | |||||
| North Texas – 65 | |||||
| North Texas – 69 | North Texas – 75 | ||||
| Alcorn State – 53 | |||||
| Sam Houston – 58 | Sam Houston – 55 | ||||
| Santa Clara – 56 | |||||
The 2023 NIT Bracketology Group 2
| First RoundMarch 14 – 15 | Second RoundMarch 18 – 19 | Quarter-final March 21 | Semi-Final | ||
| Oregon – 84 | Oregon – 68 | Oregon – 58 | Wisconsin | ||
| UC Irvine – 58 | |||||
| Florida – 49 | UCF – 54 | ||||
| UCF – 67 | |||||
| Wisconsin – 61 | |||||
| Wisconsin – 81 | Wisconsin – 75 | ||||
| Bradley – 62 | |||||
| Liberty – 62 | Liberty – 71 | ||||
| Villanova – 57 | |||||
2023 NIT Bracketology Group 3
| First RoundMarch 14 – 15, 2023 | Second RoundMarch 18 – 19, 2023 | Quarter-final March 21, 2023 | Semi-Final | ||
| Rutgers – 86 | Hofstra – 65 | Cincinnati – 68 | Utah Valley | ||
| Hofstra – 88 | |||||
| Cincinnati – 81 | Cincinnati – 79 | ||||
| Virginia Tech – 72 | |||||
| Utah Valley – 74 | |||||
| New Mexico | Utah Valley – 81 | ||||
| Utah Valley | |||||
| Colorado | |||||
| Seton Hall | Colorado 69 | ||||
Here Is The 2023 NIT Bracketology Group 4
| First RoundMarch 14 – 15, 2023 | Second RoundMarch 18 – 19, 2023 | Quarter-final March 21, 2023 | Semi-Final | ||
| Clemson – 64 | Morehead State – 59 | UAB – 67 | |||
| Morehead State – 68 | |||||
| UAB – 88 | UAB – 77 | ||||
| Southern Miss – 60 | |||||
| Vanderbilt – 59 | |||||
| Vanderbilt – 71 | Vanderbilt – 66 | ||||
| Yale – 62 | |||||
| Michigan – 90 | |||||
| Toledo – 80 | Michigan – 65 | ||||
Semi Final And Final of the 2023 NIT Bracketology
| Semi-Final March 28, 2023 | Final March 30, 2023 | Winner | |
| North Texas – 56 | North Texas – 68 | North Texas | |
| Wisconsin – 54 | |||
| UAB – 61 | |||
| Utah Valley – 86 | |||
| UAB – 88 | |||
Four teams made it to the semi-final, such as North Texas, Wisconsin, Utah Valley, and UAB. The semi-final battle was between North Texas and Wisconsin, while Utah took on UAB.
The game ended with North Texas emerging victorious over fierce rival Wisconsin. On the other hand, UAB defeated Utah Valley to clinch a place in the final.
So, the final was between North Texas and UAB. The final was scheduled for March 30, 2023, and ended with North Texas emerging as the winner of NIT 2023.
Is There A Winning Prize For NIT Winner?
Yes, there’s a prize to be won. Note that the value of a game in NIT depends on the value of the prospect you take.
The NIT offers coaches the opportunity to put their players in competitive modes. The players get a unique opportunity to compete and build the right mentality into the offseason.
But the interesting thing is that it’s not just a competition to prepare players or give them a chance to step on the court with their respective teammates. The players get a chance to chase a championship with reward.
What is the NIT in dollar value? Many would like to know the monetary benefits of featuring in the game. Well, here it is.
The NIT’s pure dollar value is $5,220 for each side.
For instance, the Wisconsin and Bradley men’s basketball team will receive $5,220 for competing on Tuesday night. Both teams lock horns in the first round at the Kohl Center.
Since they are the host team, the Badgers will have a larger share of the dollar paid to both teams. However, the amount has to be determined by the NCAA.
What is the total payout for those participating in the tournament?
Participants in the 2023 NIT will receive a total of $334,080. For each round, teams get $5,220. But semi-finalists will receive an extra unit.
Here is a breakdown of the payout:
- $5,220 is paid to each team that crashes out in the first round.
- $10,440 is paid to each team that crashes out in the second round.
- $15,660 is paid to each team (four teams) that crashes out in the quarter-finals.
- $26,100 is paid to each team that qualifies for the semi-finals in Las Vegas.
The NCAA is in charge of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. It also runs the National Invitation Tournament.
The NCAA uses a similar system for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The only difference is that teams that feature in the NIT receive less than those in the NCAA tournament.
Each unit for the NCAA Tournament organized in 2022 was worth $338,887. That was the amount paid to the team’s conference every year for six years.
It would be the fifth time the Badgers have featured in the NIT tournament since it started in 1938. However, it would also be the team’s first since 1996, before the Kohl Center’s construction work was complete.
A Handy Tip: When it comes to financial reward, there’s usually no minimum financial guarantee required for the NIT host schools. However, the NCAA has a system whereby hosts are guaranteed to receive a percentage of game revenue. But note that the revenue will be based on the submitted budget.
What Makes The NIT Tournament So Important?
There are several reasons the National Invitation Tournament is important and worth participating in. The benefits are to the governing body and teams.
One crucial or important goal is that the NIT wants to maintain MIBA financially. For this reason, only selected schools are picked to participate in the NIT.
Schools picked for the NIT were usually major conference teams that boast records close to 500. These schools have a decent television fan base. And attendance to the games played on their home court would be encouraging.
The National Invitation Tournament is organized each year. It started in 1938 and has been hosted yearly, except in 2020, when the pandemic struck the country.
The tournament is usually played at regional sites, though the final four games take place at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City. It has always been the tradition of the tournament.
The NIT was dubbed the most prestigious post-season basketball showcase for college students.
Another reason the NIT is important is the position it puts the team and coaches. It serves as a reality check for teams and coaches. In other words, it enables coaches to assess their teams and gauge their preparedness.
There is no better way to prepare a team mentally and physically than to compete in tournaments like the NIT. Teams progressing to the final and clinching the title can build on that when the season starts. It boasts morals and helps restore a winning mentality in teams.
So, the National Invitation Tournament is more important than the financial gains. It offers an opportunity to prepare players for the off-season.
Conclusion
Here is the 2023 NIT Bracketology. The NIT, the National Invitation Tournament, kicked off in March 2023.
Thirty-two teams featured in the tournament, out of which 11 qualified automatically. The rest were chosen based on at-large bids. In total, 32 teams are featured in the tournament, where every game is like a final.
Unfortunately, North Carolina and Dayton declined an invitation for reasons best known to the team and organizers.
Finally, a winner emerged after weeks of intense competition. North Texas emerged as the winner. The final game was between North Texas and UAB on March 30, 2023.
Las Vegas hosted this year’s National Invitation Tournament. Indianapolis has been chosen to host the NIT 2024 tournament. So, all roads lead to Indianapolis for the NIT in 2024.
