The NCAA vs. the NIT: History, Popularity, and Performance
The NCAA and NIT are two of the most popular college basketball tournaments in the United States. But while they are often thought of as interchangeable, they are actually quite different. The NCAA Tournament is the more prestigious of the two, but in certain years, the NIT has been better than the NCAA Tournament. To understand why and when this has happened, we’ll look at the history, popularity, and performance of both tournaments.
History of the NCAA and NIT
The NCAA Tournament was first held in 1939, while the NIT was established a decade earlier in 1929. The NCAA Tournament was created to determine a true national champion and has since become the premier college basketball tournament in the country. On the other hand, the NIT was created to provide an opportunity for teams that did not make the NCAA Tournament to compete for a national title.
Popularity of the NCAA and NIT
The NCAA Tournament has become the most popular and well-known college basketball tournament in the United States. It is broadcast on national television and garners a huge amount of attention from fans and media outlets alike. The NIT, on the other hand, is seen as a second-tier tournament and does not have the same level of popularity as the NCAA Tournament.
Performance of the NCAA and NIT
In recent years, the NCAA Tournament has consistently been the better tournament in terms of performance. The NCAA Tournament features the top college basketball teams in the country and has seen some of the most exciting games in the history of the sport. The NIT, on the other hand, has been seen as a lesser tournament and its games have not been as competitive or exciting as those of the NCAA Tournament.
When was the NIT Better than the NCAA?
Despite the NCAA Tournament’s overall superiority, there have been certain years in which the NIT was better than the NCAA Tournament. Here are a few of those years:
1966
In 1966, the NIT was superior to the NCAA Tournament in terms of performance. The NIT featured two of the best teams in the country – the Kentucky Wildcats and the Kansas State Wildcats. Kentucky defeated Kansas State in the NIT finals to win the tournament, while the NCAA Tournament was won by Texas Western, a team that was not considered to be one of the top teams in the country.
1974
1974 was another year in which the NIT was better than the NCAA Tournament. The NIT featured some of the top teams in the country, including the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Duke Blue Devils, and the UCLA Bruins. The NIT was won by the North Carolina Tar Heels, while the NCAA Tournament was won by the NC State Wolfpack, a team that was not considered to be one of the top teams in the country.
1980
In 1980, the NIT was again superior to the NCAA Tournament in terms of performance. The NIT featured the top teams in the country, including the Virginia Cavaliers, the Purdue Boilermakers, and the UCLA Bruins. The NIT was won by the Virginia Cavaliers, while the NCAA Tournament was won by the Louisville Cardinals, a team that was not considered to be one of the top teams in the country.
1986
The NIT was better than the NCAA Tournament in 1986 as well. The NIT featured some of the best teams in the country, including the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Duke Blue Devils, and the Georgetown Hoyas. The NIT was won by the North Carolina Tar Heels, while the NCAA Tournament was won by the Louisville Cardinals, a team that was not considered to be one of the top teams in the country.
1990
Finally, in 1990, the NIT was again superior to the NCAA Tournament in terms of performance. The NIT featured some of the top teams in the country, including the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Duke Blue Devils, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The NIT was won by the Arkansas Razorbacks, while the NCAA Tournament was won by the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels, a team that was not considered to be one of the top teams in the country.
Conclusion
The NCAA Tournament is the premier college basketball tournament in the United States and has been the better tournament in recent years. But there have been certain years in which the NIT was better than the NCAA Tournament. These years include 1966, 1974, 1980, 1986, and 1990. In these years, the NIT featured some of the best teams in the country and the tournament was won by teams that were not considered to be among the top teams in the country. This shows that the NIT can be a better tournament than the NCAA Tournament in certain years.
Overall, the NCAA Tournament is the more prestigious and better tournament, but in certain years, the NIT has been better than the NCAA Tournament. It is important to remember that both tournaments have had their moments of greatness, and it is up to fans and viewers to decide which tournament is better in any given year.