2025 College Basketball Invitational

Single elimination college basketball tournament

2025 College Basketball InvitationalSeason| 2024-25

|

Teams| 11 (16 planned)
Finals site| Ocean Center,
Daytona Beach, Florida
Champions| Illinois State (1st title)
Runner-up| Cleveland State (1st title game)
Semifinalists|

* Florida Gulf Coast (1st Final Four)
* Incarnate Word (1st Final Four)

Winning coach| Ryan Pedon (1st title)
MVP| Chase Walker (Illinois State)
Attendance| 2,616 (Tournament)
541 (Final)
Top scorer| Dylan Hayman (Incarnate Word)
(62 points)
| College Basketball Invitationals

«2024 | 2026»

The 2025 College Basketball Invitational (CBI) was a single-elimination, fully-bracketed men's college basketball postseason tournament featuring eleven National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams not selected to participate in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament (NCAA), the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), or the College Basketball Crown (CBC).

The 17th edition of the tournament commenced on March 22, and concluded on March 26.[1] All games were played at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the first and quarterfinal rounds streamed on FloCollege, the semifinal round telecast on ESPNU and the final telecast on ESPN2.

Illinois State defeated Cleveland State in the final by a score of 79–68 to claim their first NCAA Division I postseason title.[2] The all-tournament team consisted of Ty Pence (Illinois State), Jordan Pyke (Incarnate Word), Jalen Rucker (Army), Tahj Staveskie (Cleveland State) and Chase Walker (Illinois State), with Walker also being named the most valuable player.

## Participating teams

[edit]

### Accepted bids

[edit]

Team  | Conference  | Record  | Appearance  | Last
Bid

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Army[3] | Patriot | 16–15 (.516)  | 2nd  | 2021
Cleveland State[4] | Horizon | 21–12 (.636)  | 3rd  | 2024
Elon[5] | Coastal | 17–15 (.531)  | 1st  | —
Florida Gulf Coast[6] | Atlantic Sun | 18–14 (.563)  | 1st  | —
Illinois State[7] | Missouri Valley | 19–14 (.576)  | 2nd  | 2014
Incarnate Word[8] | Southland | 17–16 (.515)  | 1st  | —
Jacksonville[9] | Atlantic Sun  | 19–13 (.594)  | 1st  | —
Manhattan[10] | Metro Atlantic | 17–13 (.567)  | 1st  | —
Northern Arizona[11] | Big Sky | 18–15 (.545)  | 1st  | —
Presbyterian[12] | Big South | 14–18 (.438)  | 2nd  | 2024
Queens[13] | Atlantic Sun  | 19–14 (.576)  | 1st  | —

Note: Team records are as of the end of the regular season and prior to the beginning of the tournament.

### Returned bids

[edit]

Team  | Conference  | Record  | Appearance  | Last
Bid

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|
|
|

UC Riverside[14] | Big West | 21–12 (.636)  | 1st  | —

The NCAA caused confusion on Selection Sunday, by failing to communicate with at least one program invited to the NIT prior to the initial release of the bracket. Instead, it appears the NCAA assumed that mid-major schools would not decline an NIT bid. UC Riverside had already confirmed their participation in the 2025 College Basketball Invitational, before learning they had been invited to the NIT. For a brief time, NIT and CBI brackets co-existed showing UC Riverside playing in both tournaments.[15] Participation in multiple postseason tournaments is not permitted under NCAA rules. After UC Riverside's commitment to play in the CBI came to the attention of the NCAA, instead of communicating with UC Riverside, they contacted South Alabama, the top remaining at-large team, and extended an NIT invitation to them. As the NCAA was communicating with South Alabama, UC Riverside was in contact with CBI organizers to decline their invitation to that tournament, so they could play in the NIT. After their commitment to the CBI was dissolved, UC Riverside contacted the NCAA and accepted their bid to the NIT. Just an hour after extending the invitation, the NCAA contacted South Alabama and informed them their bid to the NIT had been revoked.[16][17]

## Field synopsis

[edit]

Rankings, ratings and records were through March 16, 2025 Selection Sunday and prior to any additional post-season activity. This also includes a "KNIT" score, which is leveraged as a criteria tool for the National Invitation Tournament selection committee; it is an average of the following seven metrics:

* BTR: Bart Torvik "T-Rank" Ranking
* BPI: ESPN Basketball Power Index
* KPR: Ken Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings (aka "KenPom")
* KPI: Kevin Pauga Index
* NET: NCAA Evaluation Tool
* SOR: Strength Of Record, as calculated by ESPN
* WAB: Wins Above Bubble, as calculated by Bart Torvik

KNIT  | School  | Conference  | Conference
Place  | Conference
W–L  | Division

W–L  | Overall
W–L  | BTR  | BPI  | KPR  | KPI  | NET  | SOR  | WAB  | Road
W–L  | Neutral
W–L  | Home
W–L  | Quad

W–L  | Quad

W–L  | Quad

W–L  | Quad

W–L  | Non
D-I
W–L

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136  | Illinois State | Missouri Valley | T–5th  | 10–10 (.500)  | 18–14 (.563)  | 19–14 (.576)  | 131  | 124  | 140  | 123  | 121  | 155  | 164  | 5–7 (.417)  | 2–3 (.400)  | 12–4 (.750)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 1–5 (.167)  | 7–6 (.538)  | 10–2 (.833)  | 1–0 (1.000)
163  | Cleveland State | Horizon | T–2nd  | 14–6 (.700)  | 18–12 (.600)  | 21–12 (.636)  | 173  | 170  | 168  | 150  | 174  | 157  | 154  | 7–7 (.500)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 14–4 (.778)  | 0–2 (.000)  | 0–2 (.000)  | 6–6 (.500)  | 12–2 (.857)  | 3–0 (1.000)
175  | Jacksonville | Atlantic Sun | T–4th  | 12–6 (.667)  | 17–13 (.567)  | 19–13 (.594)  | 190  | 225  | 179  | 172  | 181  | 167  | 152  | 7–9 (.438)  | 1–1 (.500)  | 11–3 (.786)  | 0–3 (.000)  | 0–4 (.000)  | 5–2 (.714)  | 12–4 (.750)  | 2–0 (1.000)
182  | Florida Gulf Coast | Atlantic Sun  | 3rd  | 13–5 (.722)  | 17–14 (.548)  | 18–14 (.563)  | 165  | 178  | 172  | 176  | 173  | 276  | 186  | 7–9 (.438)  | 0–0 (–)  | 11–5 (.688)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 1–4 (.200)  | 2–5 (.286)  | 14–4 (.778)  | 1–0 (1.000)
185  | Queens *  | Atlantic Sun  | 6th  | 11–7 (.611)  | 17–14 (.548)  | 19–14 (.576)  | 192  | 231  | 203  | 188  | 199  | 183  | 171  | 9–9 (.500)  | 1–0 (1.000)  | 9–5 (.643)  | 0–3 (.000)  | 1–2 (.333)  | 2–5 (.286)  | 14–4 (.778)  | 2–0 (1.000)
213  | Elon | Coastal | T–9th  | 8–10 (.444)  | 15–15 (.500)  | 17–15 (.531)  | 228  | 208  | 197  | 208  | 184  | 276  | 219  | 6–9 (.400)  | 1–2 (.333)  | 10–4 (.714)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 2–0 (1.000)  | 4–7 (.364)  | 9–7 (.563)  | 2–0 (1.000)
242  | Manhattan | Metro Atlantic | T–4th  | 12–8 (.600)  | 16–13 (.552)  | 17–13 (.567)  | 259  | 264  | 236  | 242  | 243  | 276  | 197  | 8–7 (.533)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 9–5 (.643)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 2–1 (.667)  | 14–10 (.583)  | 1–0 (1.000)
247  | Presbyterian | Big South | T–5th  | 7–9 (.438)  | 11–18 (.379)  | 14–18 (.438)  | 256  | 226  | 231  | 258  | 240  | 276  | 281  | 4–12 (.250)  | 2–1 (.667)  | 8–5 (.615)  | 0–0 (–)  | 0–3 (.000)  | 5–5 (.500)  | 6–10 (.375)  | 3–0 (1.000)
248  | Incarnate Word | Southland | T–7th  | 9–11 (.450)  | 13–16 (.448)  | 17–16 (.515)  | 245  | 258  | 248  | 257  | 249  | 276  | 237  | 4–10 (.286)  | 2–1 (.667)  | 11–5 (.688)  | 0–2 (.000)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 0–6 (.000)  | 13–7 (.650)  | 4–0 (1.000)
252  | Northern Arizona | Big Sky | T–6th  | 8–10 (.444)  | 14–15 (.483)  | 18–15 (.545)  | 247  | 248  | 247  | 277  | 248  | 276  | 235  | 7–8 (.467)  | 1–2 (.333)  | 10–5 (.667)  | 0–0 (–)  | 0–2 (.000)  | 1–7 (.125)  | 13–6 (.684)  | 4–0 (1.000)
295  | Army | Patriot | T–3rd  | 10–8 (.556)  | 14–15 (.483)  | 16–15 (.516)  | 312  | 301  | 324  | 286  | 307  | 276  | 231  | 4–11 (.267)  | 0–0 (–)  | 12–4 (.750)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 0–1 (.000)  | 0–3 (.000)  | 14–10 (.583)  | 2–0 (1.000)
* Ineligible for NCAA-sponsored postseason play, including the NCAA tournament and the NIT, due to being within reclassification period for transition from NCAA Division II.

## Schedule

[edit]

Game  | Time  | Matchup  | Score  | Television  | Attendance  | Box
Score

|
|
|
|
|
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First round – Sunday, March 23
1  | 12:00 noon  | Manhattan vs. Incarnate Word | 85–92 | FloCollege | 832  | [18]
2  | 2:00 pm  | Elon vs. Army | 78–83 | [19]
3  | 4:30 pm  | Queens vs. Northern Arizona | 85–78 | [20]
4  | 6:30 pm  | Illinois State vs. Presbyterian | 78–70 | [21]
Quarterfinals – Monday, March 24
5  | 12:00 noon  | Incarnate Word vs. Jacksonville | 87–71 | FloCollege  | 611  | [22]
6  | 2:00 pm  | Army vs. Florida Gulf Coast | 65–68 | [23]
7  | 4:00 pm  | Queens vs. Cleveland State | 73–88 | [24]
Semifinals – Tuesday, March 25
8  | 7:00 pm  | Illinois State vs. Incarnate Word  | 78–73 | ESPNU | 632  | [25]
9  | 9:00 pm  | Florida Gulf Coast vs. Cleveland State | 65–72 | [26]
Final – Wednesday, March 26
10  | 5:00 pm  | Illinois State vs. Cleveland State  | 79–68 | ESPN2 | 541  | [27]
Game times Eastern Daylight Saving Time; # denotes tournament seed.[28]

## Bracket

[edit]

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| First round
March 23
FloCollege| | | Quarterfinals
March 24
FloCollege| | | Semifinals
March 25
ESPNU| | | Final
March 26
ESPN2
| | | |
| Illinois State| 78|
| | | |
| Presbyterian| 70| | | | | |
| | | |
| | | Illinois State| 78
| | | | |
| | | Incarnate Word| 73| |
| | | | | | | |
| Manhattan| 85| |
| |
| Incarnate Word| 92| | | Incarnate Word| 87|
| | | |
| | | | Jacksonville| 71| | | Illinois State| 79
| | | | |
| | | | | Cleveland State| 68
| | |
| Elon| 78| |
| |
| Army| 83| | | Army| 65
| | | |
| | | | Florida Gulf Coast| 68| | |
| |
| | | Florida Gulf Coast| 65
| | | | |
| Queens| 85| | | Cleveland State| 72| |
| | | | | | |
| Northern Arizona| 78| | | Queens| 73|
| | | |
| | | | Cleveland State| 88| |
| | | | | |

## See also

[edit]

* 2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
* 2025 National Invitation Tournament
* 2025 College Basketball Crown

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL RETURNS TO DAYTONA BEACH IN 2025" (PDF). CollegeBasketballInvitational.com. Gazelle Group. January 15, 2025. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
2. ^ "2025 PURPLE CBI CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP". CollegeBasketballInvitational.com. Gazelle Group. March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
3. ^ "Men's Basketball to Make Postseason Appearance at Purple College Basketball Invitational". GoArmyWestPoint.com. Army Black Knights. March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
4. ^ "Cleveland State Men's Basketball to Compete in Purple College Basketball Invitational". CSUVikings.com. Cleveland State Vikings. March 15, 2025. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
5. ^ "Men's Basketball Selected for Purple College Basketball Invitational". ElonPhoenix.com. Elon Phoenix. March 16, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
6. ^ "Men's Basketball to play in College Basketball Invitational". FGCUAthletics.com. Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. March 17, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
7. ^ "Redbirds Accept Bid to Play in College Basketball Invitational, Presented by Purple". GoRedbirds.com. Illinois State Redbirds. March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
8. ^ "Men's Basketball Will Continue Season at College Basketball Invitational". UIWCardinals.com. Incarnate Word Cardinals. March 16, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
9. ^ "Jacksonville Men's Basketball To Compete In College Basketball Invitational, Presented By Purple". JUDolphins.com. Jacksonville Dolphins. March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
10. ^ "Men's Basketball Accepts Spot in Purple College Basketball Invitational; Jaspers Will Face Off with Incarnate Word in First Round". GoJaspers.com. Manhattan Jaspers. March 16, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
11. ^ "NAU Hoops Accepts CBI Invite, Heads to Postseason Tournament for First Time Since 2015". NAUAthletics.com. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks. March 14, 2025. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
12. ^ "Men's Basketball Accepts Bid to CBI". GoBlueHose.com. Presbyterian Blue Hose. March 17, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
13. ^ "Queens Accepts Invite to 2025 Purple College Basketball Invitational". QueensAthletics.com. Queens Royals. March 16, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
14. ^ "UC Riverside Set to Compete in Purple College Basketball Invitational". GoHighlanders.com. California Riverside Highlanders. March 16, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
15. ^ Wadleigh, Matt (March 17, 2025). "Fans are Confused As College Basketball Team Lands in Two Postseason Tournaments". Athlon Sports. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
16. ^ "Update: UC Riverside to Compete in the 2025 NIT". GoHighlanders.com. California Riverside Highlanders. March 16, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
17. ^ Stephenson, Creg (March 17, 2025). "South Alabama Basketball Season Over after NIT Invitation Rescinded". AL.com. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
18. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
19. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
20. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
21. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
22. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
23. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
24. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
25. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
26. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
27. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball D-I Scoreboard ~ Box Score". NCAA Statistics. March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
28. ^ "Schedule" (PDF). CollegeBasketballInvitational.com. Gazelle Group. January 31, 2025. Retrieved March 1, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* College Basketball Invitational official website

* v
* t
* e

College Basketball Invitational

Bids by school

* 2008
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2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments

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Postseason|

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