NIT 2018: Dates, Format, Schedule for Men and Women's Tournaments

The women's and men's NIT offer a certain level of intrigue even though they are more or less consolation postseason competitions for teams that did not make the NCAA tournament.

Much like watching star prospects at a minor league baseball game, it's always interesting to note which teams in the NIT field could make a big leap next year and make some noise on the main stage.

For example, TCU rolled through the men's NIT as a No. 4 seed last year and defeated Georgia Tech in the title game. Led by head coach Jamie Dixon, the Horned Frogs looked primed to make a run in 2017-18, and they did just that by going 21-10. They undoubtedly have an at-large bid sown up (Joe Lunardi of ESPN has them as a No. 6 seed right now).

The NIT fields won't be revealed until Sunday and Monday, but here's a quick look at the relevant tournament dates as well as the formats for each competition.

Women's Tournament Dates

Monday, March 12: Bracket revealed

Wednesday, March 14 through Friday, March 16: Round 1 at campus sites

Saturday, March 17 through Tuesday, March 20: Round 2 at campus sites

Wednesday, March 21 through Friday, March 23: Round 3 at campus sites

Saturday, March 24 through Monday, March 26: Round 4 at campus sites

Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 29: WNIT semifinals at campus sites

Saturday, March 31: WNIT finals at campus sites

WNIT Format

The WNIT is a 64-team tournament featuring 32 automatic bids and 32 at-large selections. The process for determining an automatic bid is simple: The team with the best regular-season record in each conference that did not receive an NCAA tournament invite will get an NIT nod. There are 32 conferences, and one team is selected from each league.

For example, University of Tennessee-Martin finished second in the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season campaign and lost in the conference championship to Belmont, who finished in first place. Therefore, UT-Martin will get an automatic NIT bid.

Then a selection committee picks 32 at-large teams based on numerous rating systems (e.g. the RPI and Sagarin ratings) as well as other factors, such as recent performance and common opponents.

There isn't a strict seeding process for the WNIT, but brackets are created with teams' respective resumes in mind. The WNIT will "tier" off teams, with top-tier teams facing bottom-tier teams to kick off the tournament. Other guidelines exist as well, such as conference rivals being barred from facing off in the first round.

Hosting privileges are based off numerous factors, including resume, fanbase and a team's ability to play at home. The committee chooses who hosts each game.

Men's Tournament Dates

Sunday, March 11: Bracket revealed

Tuesday, March 13 and Wednesday, March 14: Round 1 at campus sites

Thursday, March 15 through Monday, March 19: Round 2 at campus sites

Tuesday, March 20 and Wednesday, March 21: NIT quarterfinals at campus sites

Tuesday, March 27: NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City

Thursday, March 29: NIT finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City

NIT Format

The NIT is half the size of the WNIT, with 32 teams competing for the right to be named tournament champion in New York City. Like the WNIT, the NIT also has an automatic-bid process, but it's a bit different: Only regular-season champions get invited to the NIT so long as they don't receive NCAA tournament berths.

For example, Bucknell University won the Patriot League regular-season crown this year. If the Bison lose to Colgate University on Wednesday night in the conference title game, then it will still get an automatic invite into the NIT. Colgate will not get an automatic bid if it loses despite finishing second in the regular season.

After the automatic bids are decided, a committee selects the remaining at-large teams while considering factors such as RPI rating, strength of schedule and recent performance.

The 32 teams are then split into four quadrants of eight teams each and seeded No. 1 through No. 8. The higher seed always hosts the lower seed barring an issue with the higher seed's court, like when Robert Morris hosted (and beat) Kentucky in the 2013 NIT because Rupp Arena was hosting NCAA tournament games.

There is no reseeding: The winners of the No. 1 vs. No. 8 and No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchups will face each other in the second round, while the No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 2 vs. No. 7 victors will do the same.

After three rounds, the final four teams meet in Madison Square Garden for the semifinals, with the two winners squaring off for the title two days later.