NCAA reducing fields for NIT, WBIT to 24 teams starting in 2027
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- Starting in 2027, the NIT and Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) will reduce their fields from 32 to 24 teams following the NCAA tournaments' expansion to 76 teams.
- The men's NIT will guarantee bids to the top 10 conferences based on Ken Pomeroy's rankings, plus one bid each for the ACC and SEC, with selections based on an average of multiple rating systems including ESPN's Basketball Power Index.
- WBIT eligibility requires at least a .500 record, with selections primarily based on the NCAA Evaluation Tool and wins above bubble metrics; the First Four Out teams from the NCAA tournaments will receive No. 1 seeds in both the NIT and WBIT.
- NIT games will be played at campus sites until the final, which will be held near the NCAA Final Four, while the WBIT semifinals and final will take place at Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
- The NIT and WBIT team selections will be announced on March 14, following the NCAA's Selection Sunday for the expanded 76-team brackets.
