Google trend - NIT Tournament

The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament held annually in the United States. It was founded in 1938 by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association, with the goal of providing postseason opportunities for teams that were not selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament. Over the years, the NIT has become a prestigious event in its own right, attracting top college basketball programs from across the country.

The NIT features a 32-team field, with the selection process typically taking place shortly after the NCAA Tournament field is announced. The teams invited to participate in the NIT are those that did not receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, but have had successful seasons and are deserving of a postseason opportunity. In recent years, the selection process has also included teams that were regular-season champions in their respective conferences but did not win their conference tournaments.

The NIT is a single-elimination tournament, with all games played at campus sites until the semifinals and championship game, which are held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The tournament is structured similarly to the NCAA Tournament, with four regions (East, West, South, and Midwest) and teams seeded based on their regular-season performance. The higher-seeded teams host the lower-seeded teams in the early rounds, providing an opportunity for schools to showcase their programs to their home fans.

One of the unique aspects of the NIT is the format of the tournament. Unlike the NCAA Tournament, which features a 68-team field and a play-in game, the NIT has a smaller field and does not have play-in games. This allows for a more streamlined and competitive tournament, with each game carrying significant weight and importance for the teams involved.

The NIT has a rich history and has been the launching pad for many successful college basketball programs. Several teams that have won the NIT have gone on to achieve success in the NCAA Tournament, including the 1985 Villanova Wildcats, who won the NIT before going on to win the NCAA Tournament as an 8-seed. Other notable NIT champions include the 2004 Michigan Wolverines, who won the NIT under head coach Tommy Amaker before making several NCAA Tournament appearances in the following years.

In addition to providing teams with a postseason opportunity, the NIT also serves as a valuable experience for student-athletes. The tournament allows players to compete in high-stakes games against top competition, providing them with valuable experience and exposure that can help them develop as athletes and prepare for future success at the collegiate level and beyond.

Overall, the NIT is a prestigious and competitive college basketball tournament that provides teams with a valuable postseason opportunity and allows student-athletes to showcase their talents on a national stage. With its rich history and tradition, the NIT continues to be a highly anticipated event in the college basketball world, attracting top programs and talented players from across the country.