Chat GPT Query: Who are the Likely competitors in this season's NIT

[jessej]

who are the likely competitors in this season's nit

Here’s what we do know about the 2026 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in men’s college basketball — and who the likely competitors will be this season:
Latest 2026 NIT News & Info


NCAA.com
2026 NIT bracket: Schedule, dates for the men’s tournament
Jan 14, 2026


NCAA.com
Men's basketball NIT announces new committee leadership
Nov 14, 2025


Jerry Ratcliffe
Jeff Jones named chair of NIT committee
Nov 14, 2025

What’s Happening​

• The 32-team NIT field will be announced on Selection Sunday (March 15, 2026) from Indianapolis.
• First-round games begin March 18, 2026, with later rounds leading up to the semifinals and finals at Hinkle Fieldhouse (Indianapolis).

Likely NIT Teams (General Projection Trends)​

Because the NIT field isn’t set yet — and is not officially released until mid-March — any list now is a projection, but experts and bracketology models tend to put teams that are strong but just outside the NCAA Tournament field into the NIT. According to recent bracket projections and predictive models:

Potential Top Seeds & Tournament Teams​

These are teams likely to land in the NIT if they don’t make the NCAA Tournament or aren’t selected for other postseason events:
Strong Mid-Major / Bubble Programs

• Missouri Tigers – SEC school projected as a top NIT seed
• vcu Rams – Atlantic 10 contender
• New Mexico Lobos – Mountain West team near the bubble
• Virginia Tech Hokies – Likely ACC NIT invite

Other Strong Contenders

• West Virginia Mountaineers – Could drop to NIT if outside NCAA cut
• California Golden Bears – Strong mid-tier in ACC projections
• LSU Tigers – SEC bubble team
• Tulsa Golden Hurricane – Strong AAC showing

Bubble / Solid Teams Often In NIT

• Miami RedHawks – Undefeated MAC side near tournament conversation
• Butler Bulldogs – Big East middling team
• Murray State Racers – Missouri Valley contender
• UC Irvine Anteaters – West Coast mid-major

Additional Possibilities

• Minnesota Golden Gophers
• Sam Houston State Bearkats
• Stanford Cardinal
• George Mason Patriots
• Syracuse Orange
• Wake Forest Demon Deacons
• Others (e.g., Oklahoma State, Boise State, Cincinnati– depending on bubble and auto-qualifying status)

➡️ Many of these teams are projected by models as likely to be in the NIT field based on rankings, NET/KenPom scores, and current season performance.

How Selection Works​

For 2026, the NIT follows an updated format that:

• gives exempt spots to top teams in major conferences (ACC, SEC, etc.) that don’t make the NCAA Tournament,
• includes strong teams from other conferences based on net rankings, and
• fills the rest of the 32-team bracket through at-large selection by the NIT committee.

Summary — Likely 2026 NIT Competitors​

Expect the 2026 NIT field to include roughly:

• Bubble teams from power conferences (ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, etc.)
• Mid-majors with strong records / NET rankings
• Teams with quality wins but just outside NCAA cut

The official list won’t be finalized until March 15, 2026, but projections give a good sense of which programs are on the cusp right now.

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If you want, I can pull specific current bubble teams with their latest net rankings and projected tour

 

[jessej]

Note - 8 team Crown Classic in Vegas has 2 teams from 2 of the 4 P4 Conferences and 2 from the BE -
that covers 6 of the 8 entries,
leaving only 2 at large choices.

I doubt if GMU would be 1 of those 2 at large entries

 

[jruby]

Syracuse is horrendous. The rest of teams are solid but yeah that's a bad pick there.

 

[FullyChargedPatriot]

Some of those power conference teams might be near .500 by the time mid March gets around. If that is how college basketball is going, which it is, it is time to realign college basketball.