New Mexico Vs Tulsa, and the quiet weight of a Thursday night in Indianapolis
By 7: 00 p. m. ET on Thursday, new mexico vs tulsa will no longer be a line on a bracket—it will be a game inside historic Hinkle Fieldhouse on Butler University’s campus, with two programs trying to turn a week of travel into one last step toward a title.
New Mexico has come from Albuquerque to Indianapolis for the semifinals and finals of the 2026 National Invitation Tournament. Tulsa has arrived with the same purpose. The setting—an old arena with a modern spotlight—puts every possession under the kind of attention that can make a season feel suddenly small and incredibly big at the same time.
What is at stake in New Mexico Vs Tulsa on Thursday night?
It is a place in the NIT championship game. The winner of New Mexico’s semifinal against Tulsa will advance to the NIT final on April 5 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. That title game is scheduled for 8: 00 p. m. ET and will air on ESPN2, with the opponent coming from the other semifinal: Auburn vs Illinois State.
Thursday’s semifinal is set for 7: 00 p. m. ET at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The broadcast will be on, and New Mexico also will carry the game on the Lobo Radio Network.
How did New Mexico and Tulsa reach the NIT semifinals in Indianapolis?
New Mexico advanced with three home wins: Sam Houston, George Washington, and Saint Joseph’s. Those victories earned the Lobos the right to leave home and play on a neutral floor with the season still alive. New Mexico enters the semifinal with a record of 26-10.
Tulsa’s route mirrored that sense of taking care of business at home before heading to Indianapolis. The Golden Hurricane advanced with home victories over Stephen F. Austin, UNLV, and Wichita State. Tulsa brings a 29-7 record into the semifinal.
In this part of the tournament, travel becomes part of the story. The teams are in Indianapolis as two of the final four in the NIT, stepping onto a court on Butler University’s campus for a Thursday night game where the margin between moving on and going home is exactly one game.
Where does this moment sit in each program’s history?
For New Mexico, the NIT semifinals are a familiar but rare stage. The Lobos are in the NIT semifinals for the third time in program history, with previous appearances ending as 1964 runner-up and 1990 fourth place. This trip adds another chapter to that timeline—another chance to reshape what “third time” means.
Tulsa is also making its third NIT semifinal appearance. The Golden Hurricane have won the event twice, in 1981 and 2001. Those wins live in the program’s history as proof that a long tournament run can end with something tangible. Now Tulsa has returned to the same late stage again, with another opportunity in front of it.
That shared “third time” is part of what gives new mexico vs tulsa its edge: both teams have been here, neither can take the moment for granted, and each carries a different kind of memory into the building.
How to watch and follow Thursday’s NIT semifinal
The game will be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, on the campus of Butler University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7: 00 p. m. ET. The game will air on. New Mexico will also have coverage on the Lobo Radio Network.
After the semifinal, the tournament moves across Indianapolis to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the championship game on April 5 at 8: 00 p. m. ET on ESPN2.
In Indianapolis this week, the itinerary is simple: arrive, practice, play, and either earn one more night or start the trip home. At 7: 00 p. m. ET, under the lights of Hinkle Fieldhouse, new mexico vs tulsa will decide which season gets to keep going—one win away from the NIT final, and one loss away from being finished.
