NIT versus NCAA history
 

http://www.tourneytravel.com/history/

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/au...e_foes/?sports

Note BYU won the NIT in the year of the scandal.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0747186.html

This one points out the NCAA champion defeated the NIT champion during the war years. And by USF’s championships, the NCAA was top dog.

http://www.history-of-basketball.com/amateur.htm

Note language at end


Although the NCAA tournament is the most widely recognized of collegiate postseason tournaments, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) is the oldest and was originally the most prestigious. The NIT was first held in 1938, with Temple University winning. At first, college teams could compete in both the NIT and the NCAA tournament. Beginning in the 1950s, however, teams began participating in either the NIT or NCAA tournament, based on their season record, with the better teams generally accepting invitations to the NCAA tournament. This tendency became stronger over time, and now the NCAA tournament winner is regarded as the national collegiate basketball champion. The NIT, however, remains an important postseason activity for teams that do not qualify for the NCAA tournament. The City College of New York (CCNY) is the only school to win both the NIT and the NCAA tournament in the same season, accomplishing this feat in 1950. Shortly after this the rules were changed to make it impossible for a team to play both tournaments.