The ACC and SEC will get two automatic bids to the men’s basketball National Invitation Tournament (NIT), while other conferences will get one, according to the new NIT selection process announced Tuesday.
The change comes as FOX is set to debut its own 16-team rival postseason basketball tournament in partnership with the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East, the three conferences with which it has TV deals. Last year, the NIT — which is broadcast by ESPN — provided two auto-bids to the Power 6 conferences in an attempt to stave off the FOX tournament. But it didn’t work, as FOX announced the tournament in April. It will take place in late March and early April 2025.
Now NIT is bringing more changes. Under the new selection process, in addition to those four ACC/SEC bids, the top team not selected to the NCAA Tournament from the top 12 conferences will receive an auto-bid to the NIT. That determination will come from an average of the following ranking systems: ESPN Basketball Power Index, Kevin Pauga Index, NCAA Evaluation Tool, Ken Pomeroy Rating, Strength of Record, Torvik Ranking and Wins Above Bubble ranking.
The 16 teams receiving an automatic bid are guaranteed the opportunity to host a first-round game.
In addition to those 16 auto-bids, regular-season conference…
