National Invitational Tournament shrinks field from 32 to 24 teams as NCAA Tournament expansion looms — SkimNews
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- NIT shrinks from 32 to 24 teams starting in 2027, with the championship game hosted at Detroit Mercy on April 4 — the same venue as the 2027 Final Four.
- NCAA Tournament expansion from 68 to 76 teams and power-conference programs declining NIT invites drove the cut; only Auburn, Cal, Wake Forest, and Oklahoma State competed in the 2026 NIT among power conferences.
- NIT field selection shifts to exempt bids for the top 10 conferences (down from 12) based on KenPom rankings, with the ACC and SEC each receiving one additional exempt bid.
- WBIT also reduces from 32 to 24 teams, with preliminary rounds at on-campus hosts before semifinals and championship at Wichita State on March 29 and 31.
- WBIT at-large teams must finish with at least a .500 overall record, while teams averaging a NET/WAB ranking of 100 or better are automatically placed under consideration; regular-season conference champions qualify automatically at 110 or better.
Why it matters: The NIT is formally reshaped into a mid-major showcase as power-conference opt-outs accelerate; the move to top-10 KenPom-based exempt bids codifies which conferences still feed the field, while the WBIT's new .500 floor and NET/WAB thresholds give at-large hopefuls a clearer eligibility target.
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