Although it lacks the allure of March Madness, the National Invitation Tournament remains a showcase for some of college basketball’s most talented teams. This year’s NIT is headlined by the Auburn Tigers, who were one of the NCAA Tournament’s “First Four Out” in their first year under Steven Pearl.
The 2026 NIT has had its fair share of upsets. Three out of four No. 3 seeds were eliminated in the first round. Meanwhile, No. 4 seed Illinois State defeated No. 1 Wake Forest and then No. 2 Dayton on their home courts to advance to the semifinals.
Despite all of that, three No. 1 seeds remain in the final four, setting the stage for what should be a competitive night of basketball in Indianapolis. The winners will move on to the championship game on Sunday, April 5, one day before the NCAA Tournament title clash in the same city.
All times ET. All efficiency stats via KenPom.
How to watch the 2026 NIT semifinals
| Game | Time (ET) | TV | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
New Mexico vs. Tulsa |
7 p.m |
ESPN |
|
|
Auburn vs. Illinois State |
9:30 p.m. |
ESPN |
ESPN programs are also available with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
No. 1 New Mexico vs. No. 1 Tulsa
Eric Olen has impressed in his first season as head coach at New Mexico, even if he wasn’t able to guide the Lobos to the NCAA Tournament. They’re 26-10 and finished third in the Mountain West. KenPom has them at 43rd by net rating thanks to their balanced output on both ends of the floor (56th in offensive rating, 42nd on defense).
Freshman guard Jake Hall is the player to watch. The Mountain West Rookie of the Year averages a team-high 16.3 points per game while sinking over 45 percent of his 3-point attempts. Hall has improved his scoring output with each stage of the tournament, including a 24-point performance in the quarterfinals against Saint Joseph’s.
Hall exemplifies the Lobos’ collective strengths: They don’t turn the ball over often and hit at a high rate from beyond the arc, ranking inside the top 60 in both categories. New Mexico also defends the perimeter especially well, allowing opponents to make just 30.2 percent of their attempts from deep.
The Lobos will be tested by Tulsa, which lives and dies by the 3-point shot. The Golden Hurricane rank fifth in 3-point percentage (38.9) and 37th in 3-point attempt rate, culminating in an offense that lands at No. 36 in efficiency.
Four of Tulsa’s five starters are shooting at least 39.4 percent from 3-point range, including Miles Barnstable (41.1 percent on 6.7 attempts per game) and Ade Popoola (41.2 percent on 6.3 attempts per game). Leading scorer David Green, who averages 15.7 points per game, has been dealing with a shoulder injury but returned to the court in the quarterfinals.
The Golden Hurricane have struggled to build separation throughout the NIT, going to overtime with Stephen F. Austin in the first round before notching an 11-point win over UNLV and advancing to the semifinals with a four-point victory against conference foe Wichita State. They could be in for another close one Thursday night.
No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 4 Illinois State
Auburn, which picked up wins over Florida, St. John’s and Arkansas during the regular season, has secured three straight victories to reach the NIT semifinals, though it hasn’t been easy. The Tigers relied on a strong second half to survive South Alabama’s upset bid in the first round and have since defeated Seattle and Nevada by six points apiece.
All three wins were played at Neville Arena, meaning Thursday’s meeting with Illinois State will be Auburn’s first NIT game away from home.
Kevin Overton and Keyshawn Hall have been instrumental in carrying the Tigers through the tournament. Overton is putting up a team-high 17 points so far in NIT play, while Hall is averaging 14.7 points and nine rebounds — his 15 rebounds in Auburn’s win over Seattle were a season high.
The Tigers have holes defensively. They allow nearly 79 points per game and are incapable of defending the 3-ball, but the offense is a different story. Auburn ranks 12th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, and the team gets to the free throw line at a high rate.
Illinois State suffered an early exit from the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament but has since bounced back, knocking off Kent State, Wake Forest and Dayton en route to the semifinal round.
The Redbirds are led by juniors Chase Walker and Johnny Kinziger, who combine to average over 25 points per game. Three more players score at least nine points per game, including knockdown shooter Boden Skunberg, who’s connecting on 39.9 percent of his 3-point attempts.
Unlike Auburn, Illinois State is defined by its defense. The Redbirds defend all areas of the floor relatively well and are exceptional at limiting second-chance points, ranking 12th in the nation in opponent offensive rebound percentage. They’re fairly average on offense, though they do rank 66th in 2-point percentage.
It remains to be seen if Illinois State can handle an opponent from the mighty SEC, but this team has come on strong at the right time. Auburn can’t afford to underestimate the Redbirds.
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