What will it take to get the NIT

[keefe]

I would hope MU has a little bit of pride and says no thanks to the CBI.

Yea, CBI is being slobbering drunk and alone at bar time, aina?

[chapman]

Who cares, the NIT is lame.

You don't want to see what happens when our end of game offense gets five less seconds to stand around before Carlino throws something up?

[Smokin' Jae]

They won't make it under .500. 5 of their next 7 games are against top 50 RPI teams. They will be favored in 1 of the next 7 games. They need to go 5-2 in their next 7 with at least 1 win in the big east tournament, so 6-3. I believe they will need to beat two of the top 50 teams they play. Even then it may be difficult, they'll be a fringe top 100 team RPI. Last year they finished 17-15 and didn't even get invited to the CBI.

I'd be very surprised if they aren't favored by a point or two on Tuesday. Also would expect the same against Depaul and St. John's. Keep in mind, we we were very close to and likely should have beaten butler and gtown at home in addition to beating providence. That's 3 of the top 4 teams in the league. Vegas will have us a 1 or 2 point favorite even without carlino

[mu_hilltopper]

Interesting rules for this year's NIT...

http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2015-02-06/experimental-rules-be-used-during-2015-nit-include-30-second

[Nukem2]

I would hope MU has a little bit of pride and says no thanks to the CBI.

Other years yes.  This year would be worth it to get more experience.   

[Warrior of Law]

Other years yes.  This year would be worth it to get more experience.   

Exactly.  Last year (and to an extent-this year) is the bottoming out of the program.  We need experience and exposure to tournament play.  MU is in no position to turn down anything.  Perhaps a strong run to finish gets the NIT which would show a lot of growth.

[WarriorPride68]

2 straight years of no post season play sucks

[Class71]

Agree. Loser's tournament.

Better to watch other teams or wait until next season? If it is so lame why are we wondering if we will get in? If it is so lame would you put an NIT trophy in the closet?  Was your HS conference or state tournament also so lame? Let's be realistic in our expectations. Any step forward is positive and an NIT bid would be a step forward from last year.

[77ncaachamps]

I'm down for the NIT.

That means this season was salvaged. I would like to see the young bucks run the post-season.

[Atticus]

2 straight years of no post season play sucks

Yup. Next year, we will have a team full of freshmen, sophs, and juniors that have never played a post season game. Not a recipe for March success.

My biggest worry is that Ellenson has a very good year as a freshman and then bolts to the NBA as a lottery pick. We will they be saying the same thing that so many other schools say, "if only Henry had stayed for another year..."

College bball ain't what it used to be, IMO. I've been watching slightly less every year for the past 5 years.

[WarriorFan]

NIT or CBI - it's good for these guys and for the program.  It's more games, it's still a tournament atmosphere (win or go home), it gives the (totally new) staff a chance to learn how to prep for tournament games.  Everything from the travel to the logistics to the scouting to the game strategy would be new for this group and a "dry run" will be beneficial for everyone.  

[Wojo'sMojo]

Better to watch other teams or wait until next season? If it is so lame why are we wondering if we will get in? If it is so lame would you put an NIT trophy in the closet?  Was your HS conference or state tournament also so lame? Let's be realistic in our expectations. Any step forward is positive and an NIT bid would be a step forward from last year.

I'm not wondering if we get in. If we don't win the BEast tournament I'm ready for our season to be done. The NIT is lame and the CBI is a joke. Would you honestly be excited to win the CBI? I think Wojo needs to set a standard of excellence and let people know the CBI is not acceptable and we won't waste our time on that. I can understand going to the NIT, as it's not the joke that the CBI is. However, I still think the NIT is lame and wouldn't get excited about making it. For programs like MU, it's big dance or bust!

[bilsu]

Taylor is only person on next year's team that will any tournament expereince, if we do not go to a tournament this year. I believe any kind of tournament experience is important. Besides that I rather watch my team play in the CBI, then go thtough last year without any kind of post season. The offseason is long enough.

[mu_hilltopper]

Of course the NIT is good for the program, come on.  Going 2 years without a post-season means you went two years of not being one of the top 100 teams in the country, and that's entirely unacceptable. 

Fine, they're roughly mathematically eliminated from the NCAA.   Not so for the NIT, so let's just say the boys should have that as their goal right now.  Either that, or just forfeit the rest of the year.

[jsglow]

Ask the 1970 team if the NIT was worthwhile. Or the team under Crean that had to play in the Arena and made a deep run. I'd be pumped to play post season ball. Bet every man on the team feels the same way. 

[4everwarriors]

Ah, what T-Cubed team was that?

[Wojo'sMojo]

Ask the 1970 team if the NIT was worthwhile. Or the team under Crean that had to play in the Arena and made a deep run. I'd be pumped to play post season ball. Bet every man on the team feels the same way. 

I'm sure you would be lol. It isn't 1970 and the NIT doesnt have the prestige it used to have. I said I understand going to the NIT, not the CBI. I just don't have any excitement or interest for it. Just my opinion.

[Warrior of Law]

The team that played in the Arena was the '94-95 team coached by Mike Deane.  It was a transition year (not unlike 2014-15) after KO and three big seniors left.  That NIT run set the table for some nice NCAA teams the next several seasons.  Obviously, everyone in the program is going to work as hard as they can to win every game, but if there is any light at the end of the tunnel for a post-season tournament, it would be a great reward for the players, and certainly help build momentum into 2015-16.

[chapman]

You know it's a prestigious tournament when they implement experimental rules changes to see if they should apply them to the regular season    

Still, nobody turns down the NIT.  Some younger, talented teams make a decent run when it's something to play for; we're that type of team this year and not the proud program that has an embarrassing year and craps out early because they don't want to be in it in the first place.

[4everwarriors]

Maybe ax the dudes how Crean coached them up vs WMU, hey? 

[Johnny B]

Not happening

[brewcity77]

I would take any form of postseason play, including the CBI, because I feel the seniors deserve it and the kids could benefit from it. I'm sure the fan attention wouldn't be as high, but who cares?

As far as the NIT, 5-2 gets us on the bubble. Seems unlikely at best, though you may need a winning record for CBI, so 5 wins may be needed for that too.

[We R Final Four]

I believe Siena won the CBI last year and they were sub-.500.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Who cares, the NIT is lame.

Time and situation matter.

Plenty of high profile programs have used the NIT to springboard into next season.  If we are fortunate enough to get a bid, you take it with this group and don't even think twice.  I would be surprised if we get a bid, but if you get it you take it and give the kids experience.

If we think the NIT is lame, then take down the NIT banners.....personally, I don't find it lame at all.  Is it better to be in the NIT or nothing at all?  I'd say the NIT.

I'm not sure I feel the same about the CBI....at least with the NIT you are taking on conference champions...not the case with the CBI, though major programs or programs from major conferences do participate.  Pitt, Texas A&M, Oregon, Oregon State, VCU, Saint Louis, UTEP, Creighton, Washington State, Penn State, Purdue, etc, have all been in that tournament in the last 5 to 7 years, but that one is tougher to see the benefit IMO.  This is especially true with the change in format by the NIT where conference champions go there and don't slip to the CBI like they used to.  In other words, the CBI is weaker than ever.

[Class71]

I'm not wondering if we get in. If we don't win the BEast tournament I'm ready for our season to be done. The NIT is lame and the CBI is a joke. Would you honestly be excited to win the CBI? I think Wojo needs to set a standard of excellence and let people know the CBI is not acceptable and we won't waste our time on that. I can understand going to the NIT, as it's not the joke that the CBI is. However, I still think the NIT is lame and wouldn't get excited about making it. For programs like MU, it's big dance or bust!

You are entitled to you opinion. You will also be very frustrated if you apply that same logic to your goals. Only one can win it all so in essence, other than being that one person or team, you will ultimately be disappointed. With that disappointment  the ability/desire to strive for being number one after moderate successes or, in your opinion failures (I.e. NIT), will doom you to ultimate failure. Winners get there one step at a time, enjoying small successes along the way while striving for the ultimate golden ring.  Failure is the prelude to success and to be more determined after failure is the measure of a potential winner.