CBI

The College Basketball Invitational (CBI) is a men's college basketball tournament created in 2007 by the Gazelle Group. The inaugural tournament occurred after the conclusion of the 2007–08 men's college basketball regular season. The CBI selects 16 teams that are not selected for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament or the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), and who are willing to pay a $27,500 entry fee to participate. In the CBI, prior to 2020 teams competed on home courts. After the post-COVID pandemic revival, the tournament has been staged at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. The CBI is a single-elimination tournament. Prior to 2020, the tournament was single elimination until the final two teams were determined, after which the championship was determined by a championship series with a best-two-out-of-three format. Since the tournament's 2021 revival and adoption of the single-site format, the championship is also determined by a single game. In 2023, the CBI introduced NIL funding of $40,000 to be distributed in the following manner: $25,000 to the champion, $10,000 to the runner-up, and $2,500 to each semifinalist.

While these tournaments provide a chance for teams to continue their season, they are often unpopular among higher-profile teams due to the stigma of playing in a tertiary tournament. In 2014, Indiana Hoosiers athletic director Fred Glass declined a CBI invitation. He expressed, "we're Indiana. We don't play in the CBI."

The College Basketball Invitational (CBI) is an annual postseason tournament for men's college basketball teams that are not selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament or the NIT. The tournament typically features a field of 16 teams from mid-major conferences, providing them with an opportunity to compete for a championship and gain valuable postseason experience.

The CBI is a single-elimination tournament, with games played at campus sites in the first three rounds before moving to a neutral site for the championship game. The tournament is known for its competitive matchups and exciting finishes, as teams battle it out for the chance to be crowned CBI champions.

The CBI provides a platform for teams to showcase their talent and compete against other top programs from around the country. It also gives players and coaches the opportunity to continue their season and gain valuable experience that can help them in future seasons.

Overall, the CBI is a prestigious tournament that offers a unique postseason opportunity for college basketball teams and provides fans with thrilling matchups and exciting basketball action.