Andrew Pace
The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) is an American men's college basketball tournament for teams that didn't make it to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament or the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The tournament was founded by CollegeInsider.com and first took place in 2009. It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced by The Basketball Classic in 2022. The CIT was revived in 2024 with a 16-team pod-based format, but only nine teams participated. The CIT was also scheduled to take place in 2025, but no teams were announced and the tournament didn't go ahead.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) |
| Type | Postseason single-elimination tournament |
| Teams | 16 |
| Participants | NCAA Division I men's basketball teams |
| Year Started | 2009 |
| Years Cancelled | 2020, 2021, 2023 |
| Rebranded As | The Basketball Classic |
| Selection Criteria | Win–loss record, strength of schedule, strength of conference, final ten games |
| Broadcasting Channels | CBS Sports Network, CBSSN, Facebook Live, CBS' Sports Live streaming service, watchcit.com |
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What You'll Learn
History of the CIT tournament
The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) is an American men's college basketball tournament founded by CollegeInsider.com. The tournament is geared toward teams that are not selected for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament or the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and that reside outside of the "major conferences." The tournament was first held in 2009, with 32 teams participating.
In its early years, teams had to finish the regular season with a minimum .500 winning percentage to be considered for the tournament. The only exception to this rule was the champion of the now-defunct Great West Conference tournament, who received an automatic bid to play in the CIT if they did not receive an at-large bid to participate in the NCAA or NIT tournaments. In 2013, Chicago State won the last Great West Conference tournament and became the first team to participate in the CIT with a losing record (11-21).
From 2016 to 2019, the Coach John McLendon Classic was played on the first day of the CIT, featuring at least one historically black college or university. The winner of the John McLendon Classic advanced to the second round of the CIT, marking the first time in NCAA Division I basketball history that a "classic" was part of a postseason tournament.
The CIT was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, it was relaunched and rebranded as The Basketball Classic. Neither The Basketball Classic nor the CIT were contested in 2023, but CollegeInsider.com announced that the CIT would be revived for the 2023-24 postseason with a 16-team pod-based format. However, only nine teams agreed to play in the 2024 edition.
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Format and rules
The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) is an American men's college basketball tournament for teams that haven't been selected for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament or National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The tournament was first held in 2009, with 32 participating teams.
The CIT usually consists of five rounds, single-elimination style. The original format featured 32 teams, which was reduced to 26 teams for the 2016, 2017, and 2019 editions, and 20 teams in 2018. The 2024 edition was planned to have 16 teams, but only nine teams participated. The 2025 edition was also supposed to have 16 teams playing in four pods, but it was ultimately not played.
In the early years of the tournament, teams had to finish the regular season with a minimum .500 winning percentage to be considered. An exception was made for the champion of the now-defunct Great West Conference tournament, who was given an automatic bid if they didn't receive an at-large bid to the NCAA or NIT tournaments.
Starting with the 2024 edition, multiple classics were contested during the tournament, and the winning team of each classic earned a trophy. The 2024 classics were named after legendary college basketball coaches: Hugh Durham, Lou Henson, John McLendon, and Jim Phelan.
The 2024 CIT was supposed to feature four schools, each hosting a four-team pod with two semifinals and a final the next day. The winners would then advance to the CIT national semifinals, with the championship game played at the site of the highest remaining seed. However, due to the reduced number of teams, the format had to be revised.
Selection criteria for the tournament include win-loss record, strength of schedule, strength of conference, and final ten games. Teams from major conferences, i.e., conferences not included in the CollegeInsider.com mid-major poll, are generally ineligible.
From 2016 to 2019, the Coach John McLendon Classic was played on the first day of the CIT, featuring at least one historically black college or university. The winner of this classic advanced to the second round of the CIT.
The CIT has been broadcast on various platforms over the years, including CBS Sports Network, Facebook Live, and CBS Sports' streaming service.
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Qualification criteria
The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) is a single-elimination tournament for NCAA Division I men's college basketball teams. The tournament is geared toward teams that are not selected for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament or the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and that reside outside of the "major conferences".
In the early years of the tournament, teams were required to finish the regular season with a minimum .500 winning percentage to be considered. An exception to this rule was made for the champion of the now-defunct Great West Conference tournament, who was automatically given a bid to play in the CIT if they did not receive a bid to participate in the NCAA or NIT tournaments.
The CIT has typically featured 16 or 32 participating teams, although the number of teams has varied over the years, with 26 teams participating in 2016, 2017, and 2019, and 20 teams in 2018. The tournament was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was not contested in 2023. Only nine teams agreed to play in the 2024 edition, which was the first CIT contested since 2019.
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Broadcasting and viewership
The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) is an American men's college basketball tournament for teams that are not selected for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament or the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The tournament was first held in 2009 and has since undergone several format changes, including the number of participating teams.
The CIT has had a varied broadcasting history, with different networks covering the tournament at different times. In its early years, the tournament may have received limited television coverage, with only the championship game or select rounds being televised. For instance, in 2013, CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) partnered with CIT to show only the championship game, with earlier rounds streamed live online. This arrangement continued in 2014, with CBSSN airing the semifinals and the championship game.
However, the tournament's broadcasting landscape expanded over time. In 2017, the early rounds were streamed on Facebook Live, and in 2018, CBSSN broadcasted four classics on Monday. That same year, CBS's Sports Live streaming service and watchcit.com streamed the games until the semifinals.
The CIT has also been aired on ESPN+, a streaming service within the ESPN family of networks, which is known for its extensive coverage of college basketball. ESPN has played a significant role in the growth of college basketball's television presence, with the sport being a staple on the network for much of its history.
In 2024, the CIT's broadcasting arrangements were influenced by the host teams' television contracts. For example, the 2024 final, hosted by Norfolk State, was streamed on Spartan Showcase.
While specific viewership numbers for the CIT are not readily available, college basketball, in general, attracts high television ratings in the United States. Major match-ups between top-ranked teams or rivals are often broadcast nationally, and some games become holiday traditions for fans.
The CIT has faced challenges in attracting participants, as evidenced by the reduced number of teams in recent editions. However, with its broadcasting partnerships and the popularity of college basketball, the tournament has continued to reach audiences through television and streaming platforms.
The CIT did not take place in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was replaced by The Basketball Classic in 2022. The tournament was set to return in 2023-24 with a 16-team format, but only nine teams ultimately participated. Despite these setbacks, the CIT remains a part of the college basketball landscape, providing an opportunity for teams outside the major conferences to compete in a postseason tournament.
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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) is an American men's college basketball tournament for teams that are not selected for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament or National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The tournament was first held in 2009 and has since been held annually, except during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), with the tournament being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. During this time, the basketball world, like many other sports, was brought to a standstill, with tournaments and leagues worldwide being postponed or cancelled to prevent the spread of the virus. This disruption continued into 2021, with the CIT still unable to take place. In 2022, the tournament was re-launched and rebranded as The Basketball Classic, indicating a recovery from the pandemic and a return to basketball.
However, the pandemic's impact continued to be felt, as neither The Basketball Classic nor the CIT were contested in 2023, suggesting that the road to recovery was a challenging one. The pandemic's effects on the tournament extended beyond just cancellations and postponements, as the format of the tournament also had to be altered. In 2024, the CIT was revived with a new 16-team pod-based format, but only nine teams ultimately participated, demonstrating the lingering challenges faced by the basketball community in the post-pandemic era.
The pandemic's impact on the CIT highlights the broader challenges faced by sports organizations and communities during the COVID-19 era, as they navigated health and safety concerns, travel restrictions, and player and staff well-being. The adaptations and resilience shown by the CIT organizers and participants reflect the determination of the basketball world to overcome these challenges and continue the sport's legacy.
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Frequently asked questions
CIT stands for the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. It is an American men's college basketball tournament for teams that are not selected for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament or National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
The CIT tournament was first contested in 2009.
The number of teams has varied over the years. The 2012 edition of the tournament had 32 participating teams, but the 2016, 2017, and 2019 editions had 26 teams. The 2018 edition had 20 teams. The 2024 edition was planned to have 16 teams, but only 9 teams participated.
