To sign up for our daily email newsletter, CLICK HERE
Not every team gets invited to the “Big Dance.” For the teams that almost made it to the Final 68 on Selection Sunday, there is the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
A total of 32 teams comprise the NIT. The first four teams left out of the 2019 NCAA tournament field will be the top-seeded teams in the 2019 NIT. They were UNC Greensboro, Alabama, TCU and Indiana.
Like last year, the NIT this year features experimental rules including an extended 3-point line and widened lane area. But for this year, the NIT will also showcase new rules for the shot clock and team fouls per half.
31 games will be played in this 82nd annual edition of the tournament from March 19-April 4. The NIT Semifinals (Apr. 2) and Final (Apr. 4) will be held at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. All of these tournament games will be televised on the ESPN family of networks: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPNU. The NIT will be available through ESPN’s digital platform WatchESPN, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
Updated Fri. Apt. 5, 2019 12:35 a.m. EDT
The following are the scheduled game start times (all times Eastern; start times subject to change), locations and respective networks for tournament action:
First Round: Tuesday, March 19, 2019
7:00 p.m. on ESPN: Indiana/Clemson Quadrant
[8] St. Francis (Pa.) @ [1] Indiana
Announcers: Dave Feldman, Dan Dakich
7:00 p.m. on ESPN2: UNC Greensboro/NC State Quadrant
[7] Hofstra @ [2] NC State
Announcers: Roy Philpott, Paul Biancardil
7:00 p.m. on ESPNU: Indiana/Clemson Quadrant
[7] Wright State @ [2] Clemson
Announcers: Kevin Fitzgerald, Cory Alexander
7:00 p.m. on ESPN3: UNC Greensboro/NC State Quadrant
[8] Campbell @ [1] UNC Greensboro
Announcers: Evan Lepler, Stan Lewter
7:00 p.m. on ESPN3: UNC Greensboro/NC State Quadrant
[5] Lipscomb @ [4] Davidson
9:00 p.m. on ESPN: Alabama/Texas Quadrant
[7] South Dakota State @ [2] Texas
Announcers: Mitch Holthus, Fran Fraschilla
9:00 p.m. on ESPN2: Indiana/Clemson Quadrant
[5] Arkansas @ [4] Providence
Announcers: Will Flemming, Mark Plansky
9:00 p.m. on ESPNU: TCU/Creighton Quadrant
[7] Loyola-Chicago @ [2] Creighton
Announcers: Jordan Bernfield, Kevin Lehman
11:00 p.m. on ESPN2: Alabama/Texas Quadrant
[5] Dayton @ [4] Colorado
Announcers: Chuckie Kempf, Adrian Branch
First Round: Wednesday, March 20, 2019
7:00 p.m. on ESPN2: UNC Greensboro/NC State Quadrant
[6] Harvard @ [3] Georgetown
Announcers: Mike Corey, Malcolm Huckaby
7:00 p.m. on ESPNU: Alabama/Texas Quadrant
[8] Norfolk State @ [1] Alabama
Announcers: Dave LaMont, Sean Harrington
7:00 p.m. on ESPN3: Alabama/Texas Quadrant
[6] Toledo @ [3] Xavier
Announcers: Jim Barbar, Rob Kennedy
7:00 p.m. on ESPN3: Indiana/Clemson Quadrant
[6] Wichita State @ [3] Furman
Announcers: Drew Fellios, Nate Ross
9:00 p.m. on ESPN2: TCU/Creighton Quadrant
[5] Butler @ [4] Nebraska
Announcers: Jordan Bernfield, Kevin Lehman
9:00 p.m. on ESPNU: TCU/Creighton Quadrant
[8] Sam Houston State @ [1] TCU
Second Round: Friday, March 22, 2019
8:30 p.m. on ESPNU: TCU/Creighton Quadrant
[3] Memphis @ [2] Creighton
Announcers: Jordan Bernfield, Kevin Lehman
Second Round: Saturday, March 23, 2019
12:00 p.m. on ESPN: Indiana/Clemson Quadrant
[5] Arkansas @ [1] Indiana
Announcers: Dave Feldman, Dan Dakich
2:00 p.m. on ESPN: UNC Greensboro/NC State Quadrant
[5] Lipscomb @ [1] UNC Greensboro
Announcers: Mike Morgan, John Thompson
Second Round: Sunday, March 24, 2019
2:00 p.m. on ESPN: Indiana/Clemson Quadrant
[6] Wichita State @ [2] Clemson
Announcers: Mike Morgan, LaPhonso Ellis
4:00 p.m. on ESPN: Alabama/Texas Quadrant
[3] Xavier @ [2] Texas
Announcers: Ted Emrich, Lance Blanks
7:30 p.m. on ESPNU: UNC Greensboro/NC State Quadrant
[6] Harvard @ [2] NC State
Announcers: Roy Philpott, Paul Biancardi
9:30 p.m. on ESPNU: TCU/Creighton Quadrant
[5] Butler @ [1] TCU
Announcers: Mitch Holthus, Adrian Branch
Second Round: Monday, March 25, 2019
9:00 p.m. on ESPN2: Alabama/Texas Quadrant
[8] Norfolk State @ [4] Colorado
Announcers: Roxy Bernstein, Caron Butler
Quarterfinals: Tuesday, March 26, 2019
7:00 p.m. on ESPN: Indiana/Clemson Quadrant
[6] Wichita State @ [1] Indiana
Announcers: Bob Wischusen, Dan Dakich
9:00 p.m. on ESPN: TCU/Creighton Quadrant
[2] Creighton @ [1] TCU
Announcers: Roxy Bernstein, Fran Fraschilla
Quarterfinals: Wednesday, March 27, 2019
9:00 p.m. on ESPN2: Alabama/Texas Quadrant
[4] Colorado @ [2] Texas
Announcers: Mike Morgan, Robbie Hummel
9:00 p.m. on ESPNU: UNC Greensboro/NC State Quadrant
[5] Lipscomb @ [2] NC State
Announcers: Kevin Fitzgerald, John Thompson
Semifinals: Tuesday, April 2, 2019
7:00 p.m. on ESPN: Final Four Semifinal #1
Wichita State vs. Lipscomb
Location: Madison Square Garden (New York, NY)
Announcers: Bob Wischusen, Fran Fraschilla, Brooke Weisbrod
Approx. 9:00 p.m. on ESPN: Final Four Semifinal #2
Texas vs. TCU
Location: Madison Square Garden (New York, NY)
Announcers: Bob Wischusen, Fran Fraschilla, Brooke Weisbrod
Thursday, April 4, 2019
7:00 p.m. on ESPN: NIT Championship
Lipscomb vs. Texas
Location: Madison Square Garden (New York, NY)
Announcers: Bob Wischusen, Fran Fraschilla, Brooke Weisbrod
