NIT bracket, scores: Auburn, New Mexico, Tulsa advance to quarterfinals
The second round of the 2026 NIT continued on Sunday with six games scheduled. While No. 1 seeds Auburn and New Mexico managed their business to advance to the quarterfinals, No. 1 seed Wake Forest was not so lucky.
The Demon Deacons lost to No. 4 seed Illinois State 78-75 after Johnny Kinziger hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left.
Illinois State will face No. 2 seed Dayton in the quarterfinals next week.
Dayton beat UNC Wilmington 80-61 on Saturday to advance behind 20 points from guard De’Shayne Montgomery.
In the Auburn region, No. 2 seed Nevada beat Liberty 73-63 behind 15 points from Elijah Price. No. 1 seed Auburn beat Seattle U 91-85 after Kevin Overton scored 23 points. Nevada will next face Auburn.
Only four Power Conference teams are participating in the NIT this year: Auburn, Cal, Wake Forest and Oklahoma State. Several programs – such as Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, Belmont and San Diego State – declined an invitation to the NIT after missing the NCAA tournament. These four top teams are still in the running to win the NIT title.
Here’s an overview of full support.
NIT 2026 Schedule
The matches of the first three rounds will be played in the arena of the higher ranked team. All times ET
Quarter-finals
Tuesday March 24 – Quarter-finals
- No. 1 Tulsa vs. No. 3 Wichita State, 7 p.m. | ESPN2
- No. 1 New Mexico vs. Saint Joseph’s, 9 p.m. | ESPN2
Wednesday March 25 – Quarter-finals
- No. 2 Dayton vs. No. 4 Illinois State, 7 p.m. | ESPN2
- No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 2 Nevada, 9 p.m. | ESPN2
Semi-finals
Thursday April 2
- Hinkle Fieldhouse, 7 p.m. | ESPN
- Hinkle Fieldhouse, 9:30 p.m. | ESPN
Championship
Sunday April 5
- Gainbridge Pavilion | 8 p.m. | ESPN2
Auburn area
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 Auburn 78, South Alabama 67 | To summarize
No. 2 Nevada 89, Murray State 75 | To summarize
Liberty 77, No. 3 George Mason 71 | To summarize
#4 Seattle U 67, St. Thomas (MN) 52 | To summarize
SECOND ROUND
No. 1 Auburn 91, No. 4 Seattle U 85 | To summarize
No. 2 Nevada 73, Liberty 63 | To summarize
Albuquerque area
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 New Mexico 107, Sam Houston 83 | To summarize
No. 2 Cal 91, UIC 73 | To summarize
No. 3 Colorado State vs. Saint Joseph’s | To summarize
George Washington 79, No. 4 Utah Valley 78 | To summarize
SECOND ROUND
No. 1 New Mexico 86, George Washington 61 | To summarize
Saint Joseph 76, n° 2 Cal 75 | To summarize
Winston-Salem area
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 Wake Forest 82, Navy 72 | To summarize
No. 2 Dayton 80, Bradley 66 | To summarize
UNCW 68, No. 3 Yale 67 | To summarize
No. 4 Illinois State vs. Kent State | To summarize
SECOND ROUND
No. 4 Illinois State 78, No. 1 Wake Forest 75 | To summarize
No. 2 Dayton 80, UNC-Wilmington 61 | To summarize
Tulsa area
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 Tulsa 89, Stephen F. Austin 84 (OT) | To summarize
No. 2 Oklahoma State 84, Davidson 80 | To summarize
No. 3 Wichita State 74, Wyoming 70 | To summarize
UNLV 75, No. 4 UC Irvine 72 | To summarize
SECOND ROUND
No. 1 Tulsa 77, UNLV 66 | To summarize
No. 3 Wichita State 96, No. 2 Oklahoma State 70 | To summarize
