CBI Basketball stands for the College Basketball Invitational, a postseason tournament for NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams. It is an alternative to the more prominent NCAA Tournament (March Madness) and the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The CBI was first introduced in 2008 and typically features teams that did not make the NCAA Tournament or the NIT but still had a solid regular season performance.
The tournament is designed to give these teams another opportunity to play in the postseason and gain additional exposure. It generally includes around 16 teams, and the format has evolved over time, but it typically involves a series of games culminating in a championship. The CBI is a single-elimination event, with home court advantage often given to the higher-seeded team during the early rounds.
The CBI is less prestigious than the NCAA Tournament and NIT, but it still provides valuable experience and a chance for teams to extend their season and build momentum for the next year. The tournament has seen varying levels of participation and attention throughout its history, and some teams use it as a stepping stone to future success.
