**2026 NIT: Upsets Galore as Auburn Survives South Alabama Scare** The 2026 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) kicked off on Tuesday, March 17, with a series of thrilling upsets across the country. In the world of college basketball, the NIT is a prestigious tournament for teams that missed out on the NCAA Championship. In the United States, Liberty University pulled off a stunning upset by defeating No. 3 seed George Mason 77-71. Josh Smith led the charge with 23 points. Liberty will now face the winner of the battle between No. 2 seed Nevada and Murray State in the second round. Meanwhile, UNC-Wilmington stunned No. 3 seed Yale 68-67 on the road, earning a second-round date with either No. 2 seed Dayton or Bradley. In a nail-biting finish, No. 1 seed Auburn found themselves trailing South Alabama by six points at halftime but managed to turn the game around in the second half, emerging victorious 78-67. The Tigers will now face No. 4 seed Seattle U in the next round. The NIT tournament will continue on Wednesday with eight more exciting matchups. Interestingly, only four power conference teams - Auburn, Cal, Wake Forest, and Oklahoma State - are participating in the NIT this year. Some notable teams, such as Seton Hall and Virginia Tech, chose to decline NIT invitations after missing out on the NCAA Tournament. Here's a quick rundown of the 2026 NIT schedule: - First Round: March 17-18 - Second Round: March 21-22 - Quarterfinals: March 24-25 - Semifinals: April 2 (at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis) - Championship: April 5 (at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis) For Nigerian basketball fans, the NIT is a great opportunity to witness high-level college basketball action. Who will be the ultimate champions of the 2026 NIT? Stay tuned to find out.