February 16, 2006

New York - The National Invitation Tournament will now guarantee regular-season conference champions a berth in the postseason, assuring quality and integrity in the selection process.

The NIT Selection Committee conducted its inaugural meeting in Atlanta in late January and ratified initial selection procedures that will be used in conjunction with this year's postseason event.

The attached selection procedures will be used to build a field of 40 teams seeded by overall quality. Higher-seeded teams will host games as they advance, unless extenuating logistical circumstances (i.e., travel, lodging and/or facility availability) preclude such an opportunity.

As a result of the new procedures, the regular-season champion from each of the 31 Division I conferences will now be guaranteed a postseason berth with the newly-created automatic qualifier to the NIT Postseason, in the event the team is not otherwise in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

"The committee was unanimous in its view on this matter," said committee chair C.M. Newton. "It formalizes what postseason basketball should be - a reward for success throughout the regular season."

The committee also decided that a winning record would not be a prerequisite for teams to qualify for the postseason tournament.

At its meeting in Indianapolis from March 9-12, the NIT Selection Committee will choose the 2006 NIT field, culminating with the release of the tournament bracket on March 12.

The Postseason NIT will tip off on March 14 with opening-round play on campus sites. Second-round action commences on March 17 and the quarterfinals begin on March 21.

Continuing with a tradition now in its 69th year, the championship round will take place in New York's Madison Square Garden with the semifinal doubleheader on March 28 and the championship game on March 30.

The selection committee, all former Division I men's basketball head coaches, is comprised of Hall of Famers Newton and Dean Smith, along with Don DeVoe, Reggie Minton, Jack Powers, and Carroll Williams.

"We have assembled a committee that brings with them boundless amounts of expertise and integrity and I look forward to working with them," Newton said.

The committee will review all aspects of the format and operation of the NIT Season Tip-Off as well as the NIT postseason events during the upcoming offseason.

The NIT Season Tip-Off and the National Invitation Tournament are overseen by the NIT, LLC, which is owned by the NCAA.