yahoo - 4/3/2026 3:38:42 AM - GMT (+2 )
By the end of the night, the NIT will have its championship game matchup set. So, who's heading downtown to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the chance of winning a postseason title?
The first team from the original 32-team bracket to punch its ticket to the title game was No. 1 seed Tulsa, which willed its way through some second-half offensive struggles and a late push from No. 1 seed New Mexico to defeat the Lobos 74-69 in the first of two semifinal games at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Thursday, April 2.
The difference-maker for the Golden Hurricane proved to be Tylen Riley, who scored nine of Tulsa's final 15 points of the game.
REQUIRED READING: NIT semifinal live updates: Scores, highlights for Thursday's semifinals
The second team to punch its ticket to the title game will be the winner of the No. 1 seed Auburn vs. No. 4 seed Illinois State semifinal, which will tip off shortly at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Here's an updated look at which teams have advanced to the NIT championship including updated brackets, matchups and schedules:
Who's in NIT championship? Updated NIT bracketTulsa was the first team to advance to the NIT championship with a win over New Mexico. The Golden Hurricane are now looking for their third NIT crown after winning it first in 1981 and then again in 2001. Tulsa is the only one of the four remaining schools in the NIT to win the NIT.
Here's a look at who has moved on to the NIT championship:
- No. 1 Tulsa
All times Eastern
The NIT championship will be held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Sunday, April 5
- Time: 8 p.m.
- TV channel: ESPN
- Streaming options: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)
Here's a look at how the 2026 NIT bracket has played out:
Auburn RegionFirst Round
- No. 1 Auburn 78, South Alabama 67
- No. 2 Nevada 89, Murray State 75
- Liberty 77, No. 3 George Mason 71
- No. 4 Seattle 67, St. Thomas 52
Second Round
- No. 1 Auburn 91, No. 4 Seattle 85
- No. 2 Nevada 73, Liberty 63
Quarterfinals
- No. 1 Auburn 75, No. 2 Nevada 69
First Round
- No. 1 New Mexico 107, Sam Houston 83
- No. 2 California 91, UIC 73
- Saint Joseph's 69, No. 3 Colorado State 64
- George Washington 79, No. 4 Utah Valley 78
Second Round
- No. 1 New Mexico 86, George Washington 61
- Saint Joseph's 76, No. 2 Cal 75
Quarterfinals
- No. 1 New Mexico 84, Saint Joseph's 69
First Round
- No. 1 Wake Forest 82, Navy 72
- No. 2 Dayton 80, Bradley 66
- UNC-Wilmington 68, No. 3 Yale 67
- No. 4 Illinois State 79, Kent State 58
Second Round
- No. 4 Illinois State 78, No. 1 Wake Forest 75
- No. 2 Dayton 80, UNCW 61
Quarterfinals
- No. 4 Illinois State 61, No. 2 Dayton 55
First Round
- No. 1 Tulsa 89, Stephen F. Austin 84 (OT)
- No. 2 Oklahoma State 84, Davidson 80
- No. 3 Wichita State 74, Wyoming 70
- UNLV 75, No. 4 UC Irvine 72
Second Round
- No. 1 Tulsa 77, UNLV 66
- No. 3 Wichita State 96, No. 2 Oklahoma State 70
Quarterfinals
- No. 1 Tulsa 83, No. 3 Wichita State 79
- No. 1 Tulsa 74, No. 1 New Mexico 69
- No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 4 Illinois | Approximately 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN (Fubo)
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NIT championship teams: NIT bracket, schedule updated
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