The 2026 Men’s NIT has its Final Four. Three No. 1 seeds advanced through the quarterfinals, but the fourth spot went to Illinois State, a No. 4 seed that has quietly built a case as the tournament’s most disruptive team. The semifinals are set for Thursday, April 2, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with New Mexico facing Tulsa at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and Auburn taking on Illinois State at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The championship will follow on Sunday, April 5, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis at 7 p.m. ET.
New Mexico and Tulsa have both been dominant
New Mexico reached the semifinals for the first time since 1990, and the Lobos have looked like a program that belongs on this stage. They dispatched Sam Houston by 24 points in the first round, handled George Washington by 25 in the second, and eliminated Saint Joseph’s 84-69 in the quarterfinals. Tomislav Buljan delivered a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds in that win. Freshman guard Jake Hall has also been a consistent force, averaging 19 points per game at 52.4% from three-point range across the tournament. New Mexico has won all three of its NIT games by at least 15 points, with an average margin of 21.3 points.
Tulsa has been equally impressive. The Golden Hurricane opened with an overtime win over Stephen F. Austin 89-84, beat UNLV 77-66 in the second round, and then held off No. 3 Wichita State 83-79 in the quarterfinals. It is the third time in program history Tulsa has reached the NIT semifinals. Their offense has been a consistent strength throughout, with all five of their top scorers shooting above 38% from three-point range at the NIT .
Auburn survived and is moving on
Auburn arrived at the NIT with a 17-16 regular season record and a resume that included quality wins over Florida, Arkansas and St. John’s but not enough to earn an NCAA Tournament bid. Three wins later, the Tigers are in the Final Four.
Auburn controlled Wednesday’s quarterfinal at the NIT against Nevada for most of 38 minutes, leading for the majority of the game before closing out a 75-69 win. Four of the five starters finished in double figures, with Elyjah Freeman leading the team with 15 points in 40 minutes. Head coach Steven Pearl credited Freeman’s willingness to take on a larger role in the absence of Keshawn Murphy, while also noting that an eight-day gap before the Illinois State game should allow the roster some needed rest.
Illinois State is the bracket’s last surprise
Illinois State entered the tournament as a No. 4 seed and has proceeded to eliminate a No. 1 and a No. 2 seed. The Redbirds knocked off Wake Forest 78-75 in the second round, then held Dayton to just 30% shooting from the field in a 61-55 quarterfinal win. Johnny Kinzinger led Illinois State with 16 points in that game, and Chase Walker added a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Redbirds have leaned heavily on their junior core throughout the tournament. They are 23 wins into the season and have not yet run into a team they could not find a way to beat. Auburn, with its SEC pedigree and deeper roster, represents the stiffest test they have faced.
What Thursday looks like
Hinkle Fieldhouse, one of college basketball’s most storied venues, will host both games for the NIT . New Mexico and Tulsa is the more straightforward matchup on paper, a collision between two programs that have handled their opponents with similar efficiency. The second game carries more uncertainty.
Auburn is the more credentialed program. Illinois State is the more unpredictable team. That combination tends to make for compelling late-night basketball, and the Redbirds have already shown they are comfortable in exactly that role.
