With the college hoops season coming to an end, champions have been crowned not only in March Madness, but also in both the longtime tradition of the NIT and the inaugural College Basketball Crown. While both tournaments had their fair share of drama and standout performances, we also saw a stark contrast between the two. The NIT became a showcase of gritty mid-major programs, while the Crown brought power conference matchups and introduced new NIL incentives. With these changes, this year may have offered a glimpse into the future of postseason hoops and college sports as a whole.
This year’s NIT looked different from past years, filled mostly with mid-major programs, with only four power conference teams participating: Stanford, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech and SMU. The rest of the field was made up of smaller programs with something to prove— none more than the Chattanooga Mocs. Their tournament began with a triple overtime classic against in-state rival Middle Tennessee State, where a dagger three helped the Mocs survive. From there, Chattanooga rolled through perennial mid-major powerhouses like Dayton, Bradley and Loyola Chicago, capping their magical run in a nail-biting matchup with top-seeded UC Irvine. Down one with only a couple of seconds left, the anteaters hoisted a perfect full-court pass but missed an open layup, sealing Chattanooga’s first ever NIT championship and one of the most exciting finishes all season.
The Crown didn’t quite match the drama of the NIT, but it still featured plenty of compelling storylines. The best game of the tournament was the semifinal matchup between UCF and Villanova, where Knights guard Darius Johnson exploded for 42 points and hit a game-tying three to force overtime. UCF pulled away in OT to advance to the final, where they faced Nebraska. If any team was desperate to redeem themselves, it would be the Cornhuskers, after a late season collapse prevented them from making the Big Ten tournament and shattered any hopes of a March Madness bid. UCF jumped out to a 14-point second half lead before Nebraska went on a 22-3 run to take control and close out a 77-66 win to finish an otherwise disappointing season on a high note.
A key question surrounding the Crown would be how the strength of its participants stacks up against the NIT. As mentioned, the NIT only featured four power conference teams, compared to eleven in the Crown. The average KenPom rank of NIT teams was 102.3, while the Crown had an average of 82.2. Adding in the name-recognition of the Crown’s participants, the tournament has pulled away many of the NIT’s biggest matchups, and likely a large chunk of their viewership along with it. Many notable programs opted out of the NIT, including Boise State, who opted for the Crown instead.
It’s easy to see why teams may prefer the Crown and it has nothing to do with the level of play. On top of a premier venue like Las Vegas, the Crown introduced a financial model that has never been seen in college sports before — offering prize money directly to NIL collectives rather than the schools themselves. Programs could earn up to $300,000 in a pool that tripled that of the NIT. For players, the Crown offers an opportunity bigger than just exposure on national television, or a chance to extend their season. The tournament presents a legitimate opportunity for a payday for these student athletes. While it’s nowhere near the amount that the NCAA tournament brings in, this is the first time NIL money has been tied to postseason wins. With NIL becoming an increasingly influential part of college sports, perhaps this model could be the start of rewarding team success with money for the actual players.
Meanwhile, the NIT didn’t just lose out on big name participants— it also suffered a PR hit before games even began. After announcing its field on Selection Sunday, fans noticed that UC Riverside was listed in both the NIT and the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). The NIT’s organizers prematurely assumed they would decline their invitation to the tournament and offered their spot to South Alabama. After UC Riverside told the NIT they would participate, the Jaguars had their invitation revoked, sparking outrage from the team. South Alabama head coach Richey Riley called the situation “unacceptable”, detailing how his team was overjoyed that their season wasn’t over, just for that to be taken away from them. The NIT issued an apology, but the damage was done.
With its inaugural season in the books, the College Basketball Crown looks like it will be here to stay. The NIT, meanwhile, may struggle to keep up as the primary “best of the rest” tournament, as it continues to fall behind in big-name teams and financial incentives. The Crown could be the first step in how NIL will continue to reshape college sports, as they become more and more like professional leagues.
The NIT is doomed