The NCAA revealed on Thursday that it will decrease the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) field from 32 teams to 24 teams starting in 2027. This reduction comes as the NCAA Tournament expands from 68 teams to 76 teams, a change that marks a significant transition in postseason college basketball formats.
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According to the NCAA, the total number of Division I basketball teams participating in NCAA-sponsored postseason tournaments will remain at 100, similar to last season. The adjustments mean that eight teams will shift from the NIT to the NCAA Tournament under the new structure.
Similar changes will also apply to the women’s postseason tournament, the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT).
In addition to the change in field size, the NIT will implement new selection criteria in 2027. Under the revised guidelines, one spot will be guaranteed to each of the top 10 conferences based on KenPom rankings, alongside a separate guaranteed spot for both the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Each of these 12 teams will have the opportunity to host at least one game.
Continuing from last year, the NIT final will occur near the NCAA Tournament Final Four. This year, with the Final Four set for Ford Field in Detroit, the NIT championship will be held at Detroit Mercy, while earlier rounds will take place at campus venues.
ESPN is set to maintain its coverage of both the NIT and WBIT as part of its media rights deal with the NCAA, which includes championships across various sports excluding football and men's basketball. The NIT has faced increased competition recently, notably from Fox's introduction of the College Basketball Crown, featuring teams from the Big Ten and Big 12 that did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.