The annual tournament was played on campus sites in the first three rounds (the host team being the team with the higher seeding), with the semifinals and championship game being held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
In February 2017, the NCAA approved a number of experimental rule changes for use in this tournament:[1] The following 10 teams were guaranteed berths into the 2017 NIT field when they failed to receive an at-large NCAA bid by virtue of having won their respective conference's regular season championship and failing to win their conference tournaments.
[2] ^ Indiana Athletic Director Fred Glass declined to host a home game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall citing concern it would "devalue" the Hoosiers' home court.
[3] † Game played at Texas Southern's Health and Physical Education Arena due to renovations at Hofheinz Pavilion.
^ Game played at UCF due to prior scheduled event at the State Farm Center.