NIT 2015: Dates, Format, Schedule for Men and Women's Tournaments

The National Invitational Tournament has taken a back seat to the NCAA tournament for the last few decades, but the chance to end the season hoisting a championship trophy still brings out the best in the 32 teams who get invited.

The 2015 version of the NIT promises to be no different, even with a week of conference tournaments separating us from knowing who will be a part of the 32-team postseason tourney on the men's side and the 64-team tournament for the ladies. 

Sure, there always tend to be a few schools that narrowly missed the NCAA bubble and may opt to check out. But those who approach the NIT like a true postseason championship opportunity often turn it into a memorable show.

Here's a look at the information released so far on the 2015 NIT.

2015 Men's NIT Selection Show

When: Sunday, March 15, 2015

Start Time (ET): 8:30 p.m.

TV: ESPNU

Dates	Rounds	Venue
March 17-18	First-Round Games	Campus sites
March 20-23	Second-Round Games	Campus sites
March 24-25	Quarterfinal Games	Campus sites
March 31	Semifinals	Madison Square Garden
April 2	NIT Championship	Madison Square Garden

Note: Schedule information courtesy of NCAA.com. A blank bracket can be viewed here.

Dates	Rounds	Venue
March 18-20	First-Round Games	Campus sites
March 21-24	Second-Round Games	Campus sites
March 25-27	Third-Round Games	Campus sites
March 28-30	Quarterfinal Games	Campus sites
April 1-2	Semifinals	Campus sites
April 4	NIT Championship*	Campus sites

Note: Schedule information courtesy of WomensNIT.com

2015 NIT Preview

Kathy Kmonicek/Associated Press

The NCAA tournament seems to grow more and more popular, and develop more of a cult following with each passing year. That's great for college basketball, but it doesn't exactly help the survival—much less the flourishing—of a NIT tournament that was once the lifeblood of the sport.

But a couple of new wrinkles entering 2015 may help to pique interest, even if it doesn't make missing out on the NCAAs any easier for some of the schools involved. 

Those schools who just narrowly miss out on the Big Dance tend to be some of the highest-seeded in the NIT, but that was more due to coincidence than anything. However, 2015 will mark the beginning of a new format in which the first four teams to miss the NCAAs will be top seeds in the NIT.

ESPN's college basketball Twitter account noted the news:

"

Change is happening. 'First four out' of NCAA tournament will now be automatic #1 seeds in NIT (via @marchmadness) pic.twitter.com/Rw13Spy0vx

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) March 4, 2015"

NCAA vice president of men's basketball championships Dan Gavitt said in a release:

"

(The first four out) have earned the opportunity to be a number one seed in the NIT and play home games in their quest to make it to Madison Square Garden for the NIT championship. We believe this is an appropriate way to connect these two postseason tournaments.

"

OK, that may be somewhat of a do-nothing addition considering most bubble teams got No. 1 seeds in the past. But there will be no familiar feeling with the experimenting of 30-second shot clocks.

Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

The NCAA stated in February that it would experiment with 30-second shot clocks—a hot talking point in college basketball of late—in the NIT. During each of the 31 tournament games, teams will have five less seconds to get a shot off.

Count Tennessee head coach Donnie Tyndall—whose team needs some SEC tournament wins to better its resume—as one who is against the rule change, per The Daily Beacon's Troy Provost-Heron:

But while teams mired in mediocrity in bigger conferences have some work to do during championship weekend to punch their tickets, others—for better or worse—already have an idea that they will be in the NIT.

For a team like Murray State, that isn't exactly a promising feeling. The No. 25 Racers were upset by Belmont in the Ohio Valley Conference championship, which means they'll be at the mercy of the selection committee, and Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports thinks they're doomed for the NIT:

The NIT can be either a disappointing ending to a promise-filled season or one last chance to make something of said season, and it really depends on a team's mindset as to which path they will go down. There's never a lack of talent in the NIT, but getting up to play can be a whole different battle.

It's unclear at this point with nobody officially in the tournament how things will play out, but there promises to be a couple of teams in the fold who still play like they're gunning for a championship. Those schools will have no trouble distancing themselves from the others.