Here is the complete lineup for the 2025 NIT Tournament.
The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is traditionally a platform for mid-major and lesser-known teams to compete against top programs that narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament. However, the landscape has evolved in recent years.
In an effort to establish itself in postseason basketball, the NIT has made significant moves to engage power conference teams, achieving moderate success. The introduction of the College Basketball Crown tournament for the 2024-25 season, which will award bids to schools, presents new competition for the NIT in terms of visibility and prestige.
As a reaction to this evolving postseason environment, many major programs are opting out of the NIT altogether, choosing to sit out the postseason. This trend stems from the perception that teams just missing the NCAA bubble are unlikely to win the NIT, and losing to a lesser-known school could negatively impact recruiting efforts.
Currently, three teams have publicly declared their decision not to participate in the tournament, irrespective of an invite: LSU, which finished near the bottom of the SEC, along with two ACC teams, Wake Forest and Pitt, have all opted out this year.
Below is the list of teams that have accepted invitations to the 2025 NIT Tournament.
Dallas Region
1. SMU
Northern Iowa
4. Oklahoma State
Wichita State
3. Arkansas State
Saint Louis
2. North Texas
Furman
Dayton Region
1. Dayton
Florida Atlantic
4. Middle Tennessee
Chattanooga
3. Bradley
North Alabama
2. George Mason
Samford
Irvine Region
1. UC Irvine
Northern Colorado
4. Georgia Tech
Jacksonville St.
3. Saint Joseph’s
UAB
2. Santa Clara
UC Riverside
San Francisco Region
1. San Francisco
Utah Valley
4. San Jose St.
Loyola Chicago
3. St. Bonaventure
Kent St.
2. Stanford
CSUN
