LSU Men's Basketball earns NIT bid, set to host North Texas in first round

LSU Men's Basketball made one of the largest jumps in conference win total from one year to the next that we've seen in quite a while, going from two conference wins in 2023 to nine conference wins in 2024.

The Tigers didn't do quite enough to make the March Madness Tournament, but they have earned themselves a NIT bid and will host the first round of the tournament thanks to the new rules put in place this season.

“We are excited about the opportunity to continue our season in the NIT this week,” said LSU Basketball Head Coach Matt McMahon. “Our players and coaches are looking forward to playing in front of our fans in the PMAC on Tuesday. We have great respect for North Texas and look forward to preparing for our first-round game. We invite all of our LSU fans, students, former players, and community to join us on Tuesday night in creating a home court advantage in Baton Rouge.”

LSU Head Coach Matt McMahon

The new rules state that the top-two teams from each power-six conference that did not make the NCAA Tournament, based on NET ranking, will receive an automatic bid and will host the first round of the NIT. This year, those two teams for the SEC were LSU and Georgia (Ole Miss opted out of the NIT, but LSU would've been in either way).

The Tigers are now set to face North Texas in the first round of the NIT Tournament in the PMAC. The game is set for Tuesday, March 19th at 6pm CT.

Here's the full schedule for the NIT Tournament:

First Round: March 19th/March 20th

Second Round: March 23rd/March 24th

Quarterfinals: March 26th/March 27th

Semifinals: April 2nd

Championship: April 4th

I know it's not March Madness, but this is a great opportunity for the Tigers to continue to build on a successful season and prepare themselves for the future. Getting a NIT bid is the first step in the right direction for Matt McMahon's squad.

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