NCAA announces major changes to NIT, including longer three-point line

Though several SEC teams are sure to make it into the NCAA Tournament this year, there are a few that could end up in the NIT.

However, this year, the NIT will look much different than in years past, as the NCAA will make drastic rule changes.

According to Tuesday’s news, the three-point line will be further away, the lane will be wider, the game will be four quarters instead of two halves and the shot clock will only go back to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound:

https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/968576975068631040

These changes are intended to make the game more like the NBA and other professional leagues, though the initial news met with some resistance from fans, as you can see in the selection of tweets below:

Keep it like the real tournament. Stop trying to go towards NBA. I enjoy college because it isn’t perfection on the court, they play defense and upsets can happen.

— Gregory J (@gregobomb) February 27, 2018

Need to move the college game further away from the NBA game, not closer

— Pat Parks (@PatIABoiler) February 27, 2018

20 second clock after a rebound is just stupid The game (scandals aside) is stronger than it's been in years in terms of competitiveness & interest Always trying to fix things that aren't broken It isn't the NBA Let it be its own game. Want to fix something; focus on officiating

— Fake Wally Hall (@FakeWallyHall) February 27, 2018

Yeah because shooting is so good in college basketball…. longer 3-point line is exactly what we need

— Dylan (@dteague23) February 27, 2018

Of course, the NIT isn’t exactly on the same level as the NCAA tourney, so if ever there was a place to experiment, this is it. We’ll have to see how the new rules work, as the teams and coaches in the tournament will likely have some thoughts one way or the other.