2025 National Invitation Tournament

Imagine a super fun basketball party where the best teams that didn't make it to the biggest championship game get to play! That's the National Invitation Tournament, or NIT! In 2025, thirty-two awesome college basketball teams got to show off their skills. It's like getting a second chance to shine on the court and prove they are champions!

The NIT games started on March 18th, just as spring was beginning to bloom. The players were super excited to get going! The tournament went on for a few weeks, with games played on the teams' home courts, which is like playing in your own backyard. But the very best games, the semifinals and the championship, were played in a special place called Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The very last game of the 2025 NIT was SO exciting, it went into overtime! The University of Tennessee–Chattanooga Mocs played against the University of California–Irvine Anteaters. It was a nail-biter, with the Mocs winning by just ONE point, 85 to 84! Can you imagine how loud the crowd was? The best players from all the teams were picked for a special 'All-Tournament Team'.

Guess what? In 2025, six college teams got to play in the NIT for the very first time! It was like getting invited to a cool new club. Teams like Cal State Northridge, Jacksonville State, and UC Riverside got to experience the excitement of this big tournament. It shows that hard work can lead to new and amazing opportunities!