according to AI
No, you don’t need a winning record to play in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The NIT is a postseason college basketball tournament that typically invites teams that didn’t make the NCAA Tournament. Selection is based on a variety of factors, including overall performance, strength of schedule, and conference standings, rather than a strict requirement for a winning record. Historically, teams with .500 or even slightly below .500 records have been invited, especially if they played in a tough conference or had notable wins. The NIT committee has flexibility in choosing its 32-team field, so it’s more about the full resume than just wins versus losses.