This article answers which teams declined NIT invitations since 2023, why they made that choice, and what it means for fans and bettors. We focus on documented cases and public statements to explain the motives behind opt-outs and to separate perception effects from official tournament mechanics. The goal is to give readers a clear, evidence-based explanation and a practical checklist for interpreting future declines.

Several high-major programs declined NIT invitations in 2023 and 2024, citing player welfare and offseason planning.

A team declining the NIT does not change the NCAA tournament bracket or ncaa march madness odds for that season.

Media coverage and format changes shaped public perception of the NIT and fueled debate about its value.

Quick answer: did high-major programs turn down NIT invitations and why it matters

Short summary of recent declines

Yes. In recent seasons several high-major programs elected to decline National Invitation Tournament invitations rather than play. Notable examples include North Carolina declining the NIT in 2023, and a group of programs in March 2024 that publicly passed on invites. Those teams generally framed the decision as a program-first choice focused on health, development, or planning, rather than a statement about immediate competitive ability. The choice to decline an NIT invite is a deliberate one and often described in neutral language by the programs involved; it is part of a broader conversation about the role of secondary postseason events for teams that miss the NCAA field, and how those choices affect perception more than official tournament outcomes. The phrase ncaa march madness odds appears below where we explain why these declines do not change the bracket.

How this story connects to ncaa march madness odds, and to bettors, is mostly indirect. Declines can shift how media and fans rate the NIT field and shape narratives that feed betting stories the following season. However, they do not change the official NCAA bracket or the odds models that use the bracket as settled. Later in the piece we explain the selection timeline and why the bracket and immediate March Madness markets are unaffected.

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How this story connects to ncaa march madness odds

This article lays out the recent examples, the common rationales programs give, and what fans and bettors should realistically conclude. If you want to jump to specific parts, use the headings to locate case summaries, decision checklists, and tracking tips.

What it means to decline an NIT invitation: definition and context

Official mechanics of an NIT invitation

Declining an NIT bid means a program formally notifies tournament organizers that it will not accept a postseason slot. The phrasing in public statements is often formal and respectful, for example a program may say it has "respectfully declined" an invitation when it chooses to withdraw from consideration. That action removes the school from the NIT field and allows organizers to fill the bracket with another eligible team.

How schools announce a decline varies, but announcements typically come via a team press release or a statement from the athletic department or head coach shortly after NIT invitations are made publicly available. The timing is well after the NCAA bracket is finalized, which means the decision is an opt-out of a secondary tournament rather than a change to Selection Sunday decisions. For a clear description of Selection Sunday timing and the separation from NIT invitations, see the NCAA explanation of the selection process Selection Sunday schedule and process.

How schools announce a decline

When a program declines, the public message typically emphasizes player welfare, preparation for next season, or roster considerations. The messages are crafted to preserve relationships with fans and recruits while explaining the program rationale.

Notable cases since 2023: who declined and what they said

High-profile examples: North Carolina 2023

North Carolina set a visible recent precedent when it declined an NIT invitation in March 2023, saying the program would focus on offseason development rather than extra postseason games. The announcement framed the choice as strategic planning to prepare for the following season and emphasized development over additional competition ESPN story on UNC.

In March 2024 several high-major programs also declined anticipated NIT invitations. St. John’s publicly declined after missing the NCAA tournament, with the coach announcing the program would not participate in the event that year AP News coverage of 2024 declines. Read more at FTW.

Pittsburgh announced on March 17, 2024 that it would decline a postseason NIT invitation after missing the NCAA field, presenting the decision as a program-focused choice about the proper direction for the team at that time Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report.

Oklahoma also "respectfully declined" an NIT opportunity in March 2024 after narrowly missing the NCAA bracket and emphasized a forward-looking program rationale in its public statement The Oklahoman report.

Media coverage at the time linked several of those declines to broader unhappiness with selection-format changes that shaped the 2024 NIT landscape, which helped frame the public conversation about the opt-outs CBS Sports analysis of the format changes. DraftKings also compiled a list of recent teams that turned down bids DraftKings list.

quick tracker for post-Selection Sunday invite and decline events

Team name
Date
Reason

Use this to record official statements only

Core framework: common reasons programs decline NIT bids

Player welfare and injuries

One common rationale is player health. Coaches and athletic departments often cite injuries, cumulative fatigue, or the need for rest for a roster that lacks depth, and they may decide that the risks of extra games outweigh the benefits. For example, several programs in 2024 mentioned health or program readiness when declining invitations AP News on 2024 declines.

Roster transitions and coaching changes

Another frequent reason is roster turnover or coaching transitions. If a program faces opt-outs, transfers, or a coaching change, leadership might prefer to use the offseason for recruiting and structured preparation rather than play in a lower-tier postseason event. North Carolina's 2023 rationale emphasized using the offseason for development, illustrating the roster development motive in a high-major context ESPN story on UNC.

Strategic offseason planning

Programs sometimes judge that targeted practice time, internal evaluation, and recruiting windows deliver more long-term value than extra games. In 2024 some of the opt-outs were discussed in media as decisions driven by program strategy and dissatisfaction with the NIT format changes, which added a structural dimension to the choice CBS Sports on format changes.

The invitation and selection process: timing and why declines do not alter March Madness odds

When Selection Sunday happens vs NIT invites

Selection Sunday finalizes the NCAA tournament bracket before NIT invitations are extended. Because the NCAA bracket is settled prior to NIT selection, any later decision by a team to decline an NIT invitation cannot retroactively change which teams were placed in the NCAA tournament NCAA explanation of selection timing.

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Why the NCAA bracket is unaffected

Odds models that price March Madness outcomes rely on the finalized bracket and the teams included on Selection Sunday. Because those models use the bracket as a fixed input, a later NIT decline does not change ncaa march madness odds for that season. (See Funded Plays.) Analysts can discuss perception changes or future-season implications, but Selection Sunday remains the official cutoff for the field used in immediate March Madness markets.

In practice bettors and oddsmakers will note the distinction between immediate bracket pricing and longer-term narratives. A team declining an NIT bid might influence how analysts talk about program strength next season, but it does not alter the present-season bracket or the immediate odds tied to March Madness outcomes.

How declines change public perception of the NIT field and betting narratives

Perception of field strength

Repeated opt-outs by prominent programs can make the NIT field look weaker in public discussion. Media outlets and fans may read multiple high-profile declines as a signal that some programs assign less value to the tournament, which can affect how journalists and commentators evaluate the field strength for that year CBS Sports coverage.

How bettors and media may reinterpret value

Those perception shifts can alter betting interest in NIT markets themselves, or change narratives that feed futures markets for the following season. When notable teams decline, bettors may view the remaining field as relatively less competitive, which can reduce volume in NIT-specific markets and modify how media coverage frames storylines. Still, those effects are indirect; they change sentiment rather than the official bracket used for March Madness odds NCAA selection process.

Decision criteria: how coaches and athletic departments evaluate the choice

Short-term versus long-term program goals

Administrators and coaches weigh short-term competitive benefits against long-term program health. Criteria commonly include roster health, player opt-outs, coaching stability, recruiting timing, and the message participation would send to stakeholders. For instance, Pitt and Oklahoma framed their March 2024 decisions around program-oriented considerations that prioritized future direction over a single postseason run Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Who turned down NIT bids and does it matter for March Madness odds?

Since 2023 a handful of high-major programs, including North Carolina in 2023 and St. John’s, Pittsburgh, and Oklahoma in 2024, publicly declined NIT invitations. Those decisions are typically explained as program-focused choices about health, development, or planning. They affect perception and reporting but do not change the NCAA bracket or ncaa march madness odds for that season because Selection Sunday finalizes the field before NIT invites.

Player-level considerations include the physical readiness of key contributors, academic schedules, and the instructional benefit of practice versus game minutes. In many public statements programs emphasize protecting players and focusing on the offseason rather than making a moral judgment about the season's success.

Practical checklist for administrators

When evaluating an offer, schools commonly review these items: roster injury list, expected playing time for developing prospects, coaching objectives for the offseason, recruiting calendars, and the cost-benefit calculation of travel and exposure. Official statements tend to highlight player welfare and program trajectory when explaining declines, which is how many programs frame the decision publicly ESPN on UNC. For a closer look at structured evaluations, see this resource.

Common mistakes and misconceptions fans and bettors make about declines

Mistaking declines for admission of failure

One mistake is reading a decline as a sign the program is collapsing. Often the public rationale stresses development, rest, or strategic planning, not an admission of failure. North Carolina’s 2023 decision is a clear example where the program opted for long-term development over an extra tournament appearance ESPN story.

Assuming odds or brackets change

Another common misconception is thinking a decline changes Selection Sunday results or ncaa march madness odds in the same season. Because Selection Sunday is the official bracket finalization event, later NIT declines cannot alter who was selected for the NCAA tournament or the immediate odds that rely on that bracket NCAA selection timing.

Practical scenarios: examples when declining the NIT can be the right call

Injury-plagued roster with limited depth

Scenario: a team loses multiple starters late in the season and carries key injuries into postseason. In that case a program may prioritize player recovery, controlled practices, and targeted rehabilitation instead of extra games that carry risk. Multiple programs in recent seasons cited health and readiness considerations when declining invites, which makes this a reasonable scenario to decline AP News on declines. See reporting on recent declines at Yahoo Sports.

Significant coaching or roster turnover

Scenario: a program undergoing coaching change or roster turnover may prefer to use the early offseason to install systems, run evaluations, and focus on recruiting rather than play in an event that offers uncertain developmental value. North Carolina’s decision in 2023 highlighted offseason development as a primary rationale for opting out of the NIT ESPN coverage.

Organizational considerations such as maintaining recruiting messages, preserving team morale, and avoiding additional injury risk factor into the calculation as well. Programs weigh those practical concerns alongside the potential exposure and experience extra games could provide.

Practical scenarios: examples when accepting an NIT bid can help a program

Young roster that needs postseason experience

Accepting an NIT bid can be valuable for young rosters that benefit from postseason minutes and pressure. For teams with underclassmen who need game reps, extra contests against quality opponents can accelerate development and improve readiness for the next season. Media discussions of the NIT value proposition note that the tournament can be a constructive development platform for some programs CBS Sports analysis.

Coaching staff that wants extra evaluation time

Coaches may accept an NIT invitation to evaluate players in competitive settings, to test rotations, or to showcase the program for recruits. Those benefits must be weighed against travel commitments, the risk of injury, and academic calendars. The trade-offs are program specific and should inform a measured decision rather than a reflexive yes or no.

How media coverage and format changes shaped the 2024 backlash

What changed with the NIT in 2024

In 2024 the NIT underwent selection-format changes that drew criticism, and that context shaped media coverage and the public reaction to several declines. Reporters described the format shifts and collected program responses, which fed a narrative that the altered structure contributed to dissatisfaction and a string of opt-outs CBS Sports on the 2024 changes.

How media framed program decisions

Coverage often framed declines as a mix of legitimate program choices and protest against perceived devaluation of the event. That framing became part of the story of the 2024 postseason, even as programs emphasized player welfare and planning in their individual statements AP News coverage.

How to track future NIT declines and signals to watch

Which official sources to monitor

To monitor future declines, follow official program press releases, reputable national outlets, and the NCAA’s announcements around Selection Sunday. The NCAA’s public description of the selection schedule is a reliable reference for timing and process NCAA selection process. Also check the Funded Plays blog for curated coverage and updates.

What public statements reveal

Key signal phrases to watch include emphases on rest, roster availability, offseason focus, and wording like "respectfully declined." Those phrases often indicate program priorities rather than controversy. Past examples such as North Carolina in 2023 and several 2024 programs illustrate the recurring language themes around player welfare and strategic planning ESPN on UNC.

Takeaways and what this means for fans, bettors, and programs

Final summary

Declines by high-major programs since 2023 are documented and usually explained as program-first choices centered on player welfare, offseason preparation, or structural dissatisfaction with the NIT format. These decisions change perception and coverage but do not alter the NCAA bracket or ncaa march madness odds for the season in which the decline occurs, because Selection Sunday finalizes the field before NIT invitations are extended NCAA selection process.

Practical advice for bettors and fans

Use NIT declines as qualitative context when assessing a program, but avoid treating a single opt-out as definitive evidence of decline. For betting, incorporate statements about roster health and coaching direction into longer-term analysis rather than immediate bracket-based odds. Keep watching official statements and reputable reporting for signals that have real implications for team strength next season.

Minimalist 2D vector split image showing a Selection Sunday bracket left and a team press release document right illustrating timing contrast for ncaa march madness odds

Does a team declining the NIT change the NCAA tournament field?

No. Selection Sunday finalizes the NCAA bracket before NIT invitations are issued, so a later decline cannot alter the NCAA field.

Why do prominent programs sometimes decline NIT invitations?

Programs typically cite player health, offseason development, coaching or roster transitions, or strategic planning as reasons for declining.

Should bettors adjust March Madness odds when a team declines an NIT bid?

Not for the current season; declines affect perception and future narratives but do not change the finalized bracket or immediate odds.

In short, NIT declines are usually program-first choices framed around health, development, or planning. They change headlines and perceptions but do not move the NCAA bracket or immediate March Madness markets. Treat each opt-out as context for longer-term analysis rather than a standalone signal of program collapse.