2007-03-21 14:11:08 · 10 answers · asked by roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr 1 in Sports ➔ Basketball
the post season National Invitational Tournament is, for the best teams that didn't get bids to the NCAA tournament.
2007-03-21 14:15:34 · answer #1 · answered by ny21tb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The NIT (National Invitational Tournament), is the tournament that schools participate in if they didn't make the NCAA Tournament and/or if their conference championship doesn't have an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. It was the first and foremost post-season collegiate tournament in the country when it started in 1938. A year later the NCAA created their own tournament, which now is know at the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. For a long time the tournaments weren't scheduled at the same time and schools would participate in both tournaments. CCNY is the only school to win both in the same year. As far as why it's the same time now, the NCAA moved their tournament to compete with the NIT. Before, NIT was THE post-season tournament. My guess is they just decided to leave it at the same time even after the NCAA tourney's rise to the top tournament.
In the 60's, when the NCAA tournament became the more popular tournament, the NIT became what is often referred to as the "not invited tournament" because of the participation of teams who didn't qualify for the NCAA tournament. The tournament consists of 40 teams and unlike the NCAA tournament, higher seeded teams have the option of "hosting" the first couple rounds at their home court. The semi-finals and final are played in Madison Square Garden.
Several former coaches and NCAA athletic directors now sit on the NIT selection committee such as former Kentucky A.D. C.M. Newton and former North Carolina Head Coach Dean Smith.
2007-03-22 01:14:04 · answer #2 · answered by sweetie_tdp 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Despite what those other people say, the NIT isn't a loser tournament. Because of automatic bids, many of the 13-16 seeds in the NCAA tournament are lower level teams, making it difficult for better teams from more powerful conferences.
The winner of the NIT, in most cases, could at least have made it to the round of 32, and maybe the Sweet 16 in the NCAA's. Two years ago, Memphis won the NIT. Look at them now.
2007-03-21 21:20:32 · answer #3 · answered by desotobrave 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the National invitational Tournament. and it is comprised of all the loser teams that could not make the NCAA Tournament. It used to be run by a separate entity other then the NCAA but the NCAA sued and then bought the rights to host the tournament. It is on now so people can watch basketball during the off days of the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA wants as much viewership and money as possible.
2007-03-21 21:17:53 · answer #4 · answered by Darsh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dont quote me on this. But it think that long ago, the NIT was THE tournament. i think the NCAAs have only been around some 50 years or so.
What I do know is that the NIT is a very old tournament and the reason it is the same time is probably because they are too proud to bow out to the NCAAs.
2007-03-21 21:17:24 · answer #5 · answered by whatwouldyodado2006 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
National Invitation Tournament
It is for teams that didn't quite make the NCAA tournament.
It is their so that teams that don't make it to the show to prove that they, and the members in their conference are better than they are said to be, or to be shown that they are overrated. NIT is a bragging rights type tournament, however money is still awarded to the winning schools. It is pretty much the 'losers' bracket of the NCAA tournament and is played at the same time, because this is post-season college basketball time, and the school isn't going to expand the time alloted for that for a losers tournament.
2007-03-21 21:16:59 · answer #6 · answered by thewiseman2008 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The NIT used to be "the" tournament, crowning the National Champion. It became a secondary tournament in the 1960's, when the NCAA tournament became big. Since then, the NIT invites the best teams that weren't able to make it to the "Big Dance."
2007-03-21 22:49:04 · answer #7 · answered by trombass08 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the teams that didn't get into the "real" tournament have a chance to show off their skills in the NIT tounament. except that most people ignore the NIT tournament. i advise you watch the real tournament
2007-03-21 22:15:39 · answer #8 · answered by Edgehead (Colts 2-1) 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's hard for me to even answer this, but it's for the teams that *sniff* didn't make it to the NCAA.
2007-03-21 21:15:36 · answer #9 · answered by Wolfpack 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to determine the 66th best team in the ncaa
2007-03-21 22:14:31 · answer #10 · answered by Kevin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋