Tigers Dominate Champions 10-2 in Exciting Championship Clash!

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here . Long before March Madness reigned supreme, the National Invitational Tournament was the preeminent basketball competition in America.

Established in 1938 by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association, the NIT routinely drew the top hoops teams in the nation to Madison Square Garden for a high-octane winner-take-all tourney. More than eight decades later, the NIT continues to capture some of that past glory with its annual 32-team single-elimination showdown. This year's field featured a dazzling selection of top programs including No.

1 seeds Auburn, Wake Forest, New Mexico, and Tulsa. Let's take a look at the latest odds heading into this year's event. 2026 NIT odds Team Auburn +350 New Mexico +380 Wake Forest +550 Tulsa +1000 Oklahoma State +1200 Nevada +1300 Dayton +1700 California +2000 Wichita State +2500 Yale +2800 2026 NIT favorites Auburn (+350) Arguably the biggest snub of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the Tigers enter the NIT with a serious chip on their shoulders.

Despite a 17–16 record, Steven Pearl’s team boasts a Top 5 strength of schedule and high-caliber wins over Florida and St. John’s. The Tigers feature the nation’s No.