2026 NIT Basketball Tournament First Round Preview, Odds, Information & Picks
The NIT Tournament is an opportunity for teams that just missed the NCAA Tournament to compete. It’s a 32-team tournament, with the first three rounds being played on the higher-seeded team’s campus. From there, teams will compete at Hinkle Fieldhouse and Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the semifinals and championship, respectively.
While there are 32 teams, several have opted out of the tournament that include Belmont, Virginia Tech, San Diego State, Seton Hall, Indiana, Florida State, and Oklahoma. The No. 1 seeds include Auburn, New Mexico, Tulsa, and Wake Forest.
2026 NIT Basketball Tournament First Round Odds
Tuesday’s NIT First Round Schedule
- Liberty at George Mason , – 6:00 p.m./ESPN2
- UNC Wilmington at Yale , – 7:00 p.m./ESPN+
- Wyoming at Wichita State , – 7:00 p.m./ESPNU
- Davidson at Oklahoma State , – 8:00 p.m./ESPN2
- Stephen F Austin at Tulsa , – 9:00 p.m./ESPNU
- Saint Thomas at Seattle , – 10:00 p.m./ESPN+
- South Alabama at Auburn , – 10:00 p.m/ESPN2
- UNLV at UC Irvine , – 11:00 p.m./ESPNU
Wednesday’s NIT First Round Schedule
- Navy at Wake Forest , – 7:00 p.m./ESPNU
- Kent State at Illinois State , – 8:00 p.m./ESPN+
- George Washington at Utah Valley , – 8:00 p.m./ESPN+
- Dayton at Bradley , – 9:00 p.m./ESPNU
- Sam Houston State at New Mexico , – 9:00 p.m./ESPN+
- Murray State at Nevada , – 10:00 p.m./ESPN+
- Saint Joseph’s at Colorado State , – 11:00 p.m./ESPNU
- UIC at California , – 11:00 p.m./ESPN2
Immediately looking at the bracket, it’s hard not to look at Auburn. They’re a top 15 offense in the country in terms of offensive efficiency (124.8), but their Achilles heel is their defense, where they rank 107th in defensive efficiency (105.8). Still, this was a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament. They lost 16 games, a few too many, but they also got some excellent wins this season beating Kentucky, Arkansas, St. John’s, and even Florida.
Another team I’ll be watching is Yale. Their defense is 202nd in defensive efficiency, which could be a problem, but they have five players averaging double-digit points led by Nick Townsend. He also averages 7.4 rebounds. If they get into shootouts with teams, Yale might be a tough out.
Finally, Seattle U has a great defense, ranking 21st in defensive efficiency (97.7). The biggest issue they have, though, is not only their offense but also the fact that they’re in the same region as Auburn. If they can find ways to score with Brayden Maldonado and Will Heimbrodt, and lock down on defense, an upset over Auburn could help build some momentum.
2026 NIT Basketball Tournament Schedule
- First Round: March 17-18
- Second Round: March 21-22
- Quarterfinals: March 24-25
- Semifinals: April 2 at Hinkle Fieldhouse
- Championship: April 5 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
2026 NIT Basketball Tournament Players to Watch
- Keyshawn Hall, G, Auburn: Hall was third-team All-SEC this season for the Tigers, averaging 19.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He’s also shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc. Auburn is the fourth college program he’s played for.
- Juke Harris, G, Wake Forest: Harris had a great 2025-26 season, averaging 21.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He was second-team All-ACC and the ACC Most Improved Player.
- Rafael Castro, F, George Washington: Castro has been excellent for George Washington this season, averaging 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He’s shooting 63% on 2-point shots. He was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team and the All-Defensive Team.
2026 NIT Basketball Tournament Coaches to Watch
- Eric Olen, New Mexico: Olen came over to New Mexico after being the head coach for UC San Diego from 2013 to 2025. In his first season with New Mexico, the Lobos were on the verge of making the tournament, but lost to San Diego State, 64-62, in the Mountain West Tournament. He was a two-time Big West Coach of the Year for UC San Diego, and he’s looking to make the Lobos an NCAA Tournament squad. It’s worth noting that they didn’t opt out of the NIT Tournament and are now a No. 1 seed.
- Steven Pearl, Auburn: The son of former Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl, Steven led the team to some unbelievable wins this season, but in the end, they simply lost too many games, including nine of their last 12. Still, he’s risen through the ranks of the program, beginning as an assistant, then the associate head coach, and this year, he took over for his dad.
- James Jones, Yale: Jones has been the head ball coach for Yale since 1999 and has led them to eight Ivy League titles and four Ivy League Tournament wins. Not only that, but he’s been named the Ivy League Coach of the Year four times. Yale has a fantastic offense, and as a No. 3 seed, they could certainly go on a bit of a run. They’re 2-5 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 1-2 in the NIT.
2026 NIT Basketball Tournament Picks & Predictions
Without going chalky with a team like Auburn, I think Yale has a real shot at winning this whole thing.
They have an experienced head coach, and they rank 35th in offensive efficiency (121.1). They’re top 25 in shooting percentage, shooting 49%, and at home, that’s up to 50.2%, and they’ll be playing there in the opening round. Also, they’ve been improving on rebounds lately, averaging 39.3 per game over their last three.
Yale finished the season 24-6, one of the best records in the field. Nick Townsend has been playing great lately, going for 14 points or more in each of his last five games. Yale barely lost to Penn in the Ivy League Tournament championship, losing by four in overtime.
If they can step it up on defense, they have the coach and offense to go on a run.
Tournament Pick: Yale
