NIT

[1SE]

I know all the sage posters here think we needed two or thee in the BET... But ESPNs recap:

"UP NEXT:

Marquette: good enough for an NIT bid."

Are they smokin the herb or can I have some hope?

[WarriorFan]

ESPN televises the NIT, so if they want us, that might help!

[brewcity77]

My expectation is the Vegas 16. Not impossible that we sneak into the NIT, but we don't really have a NIT RPI, at least based on the selection the past few years.

I just hope we're playing in some postseason tournament.

[jsglow]

My guess is that we're still in the hunt for the NIT bid but can't afford too many more conference upsets including both auto bids and surprise high major conference winners that steal an NCAA bid and move someone off the bubble down.

I agree with brew.  The restrictions associated with auto bids seems to mean that Vegas could end up being a decent tournament.  Assuming money isn't the issue, I don't know why MU would turn down the chance to a) gain additional practice and game experience, b) gain further high pressure tournament experience, c) legitimately shoot for a second tourney championship this year, and d) provide Markus and Brendan a chance to hang with the guys hopefully further cementing that relationship.

The only two factors working against would be if Henry were to privately express concern about possible injury and the obvious financial commitment necessary. 

[jsglow]

In reading Matty V's postgame comments it sure sounds like the boys want to keep on playing.  Wojo was quoted touting our 20 wins and our quality record against Top 100 opponents.  Clearly the goal is the NIT.  But I think our guys really want a crack at somebody.  I sincerely hope they get a decent invite.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

If you assume that 1) St. Mary's and Wichita State are getting NCAA bids, 2.) MU is NOT one of the "Last four out," and 3.) take the NIT auto bids into account, nearly half the NIT field is already spoken for.

4 teams "Last Four Out"

NIT Auto Bids for
Belmont
Bucknell
High Point
Hofstra
IPFW
Monmouth
North Florida
UAB
Valparaiso
Wagner

That right there is 14 out of 32 bids.

Friday games featuring #1 seeds from 1-bid conferences
Stephen F. Austin vs. Houston Baptist (Southland Semifinal)
Hampton vs. Savannah State (MEAC Semifinal)
Akron vs. Bowling Green (MAC Semifinal)
Weber State vs. North Dakota (Big Sky Semifinal)
New Mexico State vs. UMKC (WAC Semifinal)
San Diego State vs. Nevada (Mountain West Semifinal)
Hawaii vs. UC Santa Barbara (Big West Semifinal)
Texas Southern vs. Southern University (SWAC Semifinal)

[jsglow]

If you assume that 1) St. Mary's and Wichita State are getting NCAA bids, 2.) MU is NOT one of the "Last four out," and 3.) take the NIT auto bids into account, nearly half the NIT field is already spoken for.

4 teams "Last Four Out"

NIT Auto Bids for
Belmont
Bucknell
High Point
Hofstra
IPFW
Monmouth
North Florida
UAB
Valparaiso
Wagner

That right there is 14 out of 32 bids.

Friday games featuring #1 seeds from 1-bid conferences
Stephen F. Austin vs. Houston Baptist (Southland Semifinal)
Hampton vs. Savannah State (MEAC Semifinal)
Akron vs. Bowling Green (MAC Semifinal)
Weber State vs. North Dakota (Big Sky Semifinal)
New Mexico State vs. UMKC (WAC Semifinal)
San Diego State vs. Nevada (Mountain West Semifinal)
Hawaii vs. UC Santa Barbara (Big West Semifinal)
Texas Southern vs. Southern University (SWAC Semifinal)

Outstanding work Spillproof.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

MU will get an NIT invite.

[GGGG]

In the latest NIT bracketology, Marquette is barely hanging on.  And that was before the UAB loss.  Simply put, MU needs the #1 seeds to win their tournaments and hope that the selection committee wants the marquee value that a guy like Henry can bring.

Then they will put us on the road to a place like Valpo because they'd draw the crowd. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

If you assume that 1) St. Mary's and Wichita State are getting NCAA bids, 2.) MU is NOT one of the "Last four out," and 3.) take the NIT auto bids into account, nearly half the NIT field is already spoken for.

4 teams "Last Four Out"

NIT Auto Bids for
Belmont
Bucknell
High Point
Hofstra
IPFW
Monmouth
North Florida
UAB
Valparaiso
Wagner

That right there is 14 out of 32 bids.

Friday games featuring #1 seeds from 1-bid conferences
Stephen F. Austin vs. Houston Baptist (Southland Semifinal)
Hampton vs. Savannah State (MEAC Semifinal)
Akron vs. Bowling Green (MAC Semifinal)
Weber State vs. North Dakota (Big Sky Semifinal)
New Mexico State vs. UMKC (WAC Semifinal)
San Diego State vs. Nevada (Mountain West Semifinal)
Hawaii vs. UC Santa Barbara (Big West Semifinal)
Texas Southern vs. Southern University (SWAC Semifinal)

Good work. Some observations:

1. Marquette isn't in the first four out or the next four out per Lunardi. That's probably 8 bids right there.
2. Its really sad the Mountain West has become a 1 bid league
3. The remaining 1 seeds (minus Hampton and Akron) are all far and away better than the rest of their conference. I feel decently confident in their chances to win their autobids.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

Then they will put us on the road to a place like Valpo because they'd draw the crowd.

This type of scenario, IMHO, is the only thing that keeps the NIT relevant when the tournament is going on. The idea of "Goliath in David's house." See also Kentucky vs. Robert Morris in the NIT a few years back.

[frozena pizza]

This type of scenario, IMHO, is the only thing that keeps the NIT relevant when the tournament is going on. The idea of "Goliath in David's house." See also Kentucky vs. Robert Morris in the NIT a few years back.

We aren't exactly Goliath.

[oldwarrior81]

I see the Las Vegas 16 mentioned often as an alternative to the NIT.
Is this tournament expected to be a higher level than the CIT or CBI?  I think the only school from a major conference to accept a bid to either of those last season was Colorado with a 15-17 record.

Vegas also is a pay to participate tournament, although all the games will be held in Vegas rather than at campus sites.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

FWIW, last season, Richmond, Alabama, Illinois, Arizona State, Pitt, Stanford, and Vanderbilt all got at-large NIT bids with less than 20 wins.

[MomofMUltiples]

With the NIT being somewhat less formulaic in its selection process, I could see the weight of star power taking hold.  ESPN has touted Ben Simmons' greatness all year so I expect LSU will get a bid.  I could see them pushing for Marquette for the same reason.  Something along the lines of seeing two of the top three freshman in the country in their tournament.  So I would say Marquette has a factor going for them that other teams might not.

[brewcity77]

Ellenson and Simmons definitely have some drawing power. Will the NIT use that as a criteria? I'm not sure. The NCAA owns the NIT now, but do not own Vegas or the CBI. Might they try to get the big names into their own tournament just so any residual ratings the NIT does get goes to them and not the other tournaments?

That said, I'm not sure anyone will bother watching the smaller tournaments regardless who was playing. College hoops junkies, maybe, but I think most people get their basketball fix on weekends in March, not weekdays.

[We R Final Four]

I heard yesterday that only 1 out of the 12 regular season champs had won their conf tournament.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I see the Las Vegas 16 mentioned often as an alternative to the NIT.
Is this tournament expected to be a higher level than the CIT or CBI?  I think the only school from a major conference to accept a bid to either of those last season was Colorado with a 15-17 record.

Vegas also is a pay to participate tournament, although all the games will be held in Vegas rather than at campus sites.

Pretty sure Oregon State won the CBI last year.

[keefe]

Vegas could end up being a decent tournament. 

legitimately shoot for a second tourney championship this year

I'm fairly certain that not even Tanned Tommy would want to hang that banner from the rafters...

NIT is the lowest we should sink.

It is depressing to think how we are rationalizing what three years ago would have triggered Scoop Armageddon.

I hope the Administration is taking stock because this program is not meeting the mark.   

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Here's the list of potential at-large bids according to bracket matrix (I removed any that Lunardi has in the NCAAs)

Currently In:
Connecticut: 21-10, RPI 55, SOS 56 (Still alive)
Syracuse: 19-13, RPI 66, SOS 41 (Already lost)
Florida: 19-13, RPI 46, SOS 12 (Still alive)
Tulsa: 20-10, RPI 53, SOS 58 (Still alive)
Michigan: 20-11, RPI 64, SOS 63 (Still alive)
Florida State: 19-13, RPI 77 SOS 84 (Already lost)
Georgia Tech: 19-14, RPI 65, SOS 20 (Already lost)
Houston: 22-8, RPI 72, SOS 134 (Still alive)
George Washington: 23-9, RPI 61, SOS 128 (Still alive)
BYU: 22-10, RPI 78, SOS 133 (Already lost)
Washington: 18-14, RPI 82, SOS 35 (Already lost)
Creighton: 18-14, RPI 98, SOS 89 (Already lost)
Princeton: 21-6, RPI 40, SOS 142 (Already lost)
Ohio State: 20-12, RPI 71, SOS 42 (Still Alive)
Kansas State: 17-16, RPI 83, SOS 19 (Already lost)
Stanford: 14-15, RPI 80, SOS 2 (Already lost)
Clemson: 17-14, RPI 124, SOS 111 (Already lost)
Georgia: 18-12, RPI 68, SOS 28 (Still Alive)
LSU: 18-13, RPI 91, SOS 75 (Still Alive)
Virginia Tech: 19-14, RPI 85, SOS 48 (Already lost)
Alabama:18-13, RPI 63, SOS 26 (Still alive)
Ole Miss: 20-12, RPI 94, SOS 166 (Already lost)
Marquette: 20-13, RPI 107, SOS 123 (Already lost)

On the Bubble:
Arizona State: 15-17, RPI 97, SOS 17 (Already lost)
Arkansas: 16-16, RPI 125, SOS 61 (Already lost)
Boise State: 18-12, RPI 99, SOS 122 (Already lost)
Davidson: 18-11, RPI 62, SOS 68 (Still alive)
Evansville:24-9, RPI 92, SOS 199 (Already lost)
Fresno State: 21-9, RPI 79, SOS 161 (Still alive)
Georgetown:15-18, RPI 104, SOS 14 (Already lost)
IPFW: 22-9, RPI 73, SOS 172 (Already lost)
Long Beach State: 17-13, RPI 89, SOS 92 (Still Alive)
Memphis: 17-14, RPI 146, SOS 106 (Still alive)
Mississippi State: 14-17, RPI 148, SOS 60 (Already lost)
Northwestern: 20-12, RPI 111, SOS 147 (Already lost)
North Carolina State: 16-17, RPI 115, SOS 47 (Already lost)
Rhode Island: 17-15 RPI 112, SOS 79 (Already lost)
Richmond: 16-15, RPI 114, SOS 76 (Still alive)
Texas A&M-CC: 22-6, RPI 87, SOS 284 (Still alive)
UC Irvine: 23-8, RPI 70, SOS 170 (Still alive)
UCLA: 15-17, RPI 100, SOS 18 (Already lost)
UC Santa Barbara: 17-12, RPI 96, SOS 120 (Still alive)
William & Mary 18-11, RPI 67, SOS 64 (Already lost)

Its only one site, but it currently has us as the very last at large bid. With a bunch of auto-bids still left up for grabs, and some teams on the bubble still alive in their conference tournies, I'm not super confident that we will make the NIT. Please some of the teams on the bubble I think have better resumes than we do (Davidson come to mind). I think we are better than a lot of teams in ahead of us (how the hell are Stanford and Clemson considered better candidates?) but our computer numbers aren't great.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'm fairly certain that not even Tanned Tommy would want to hang that banner from the rafters...

NIT is the lowest we should sink.

It is depressing to think how we are rationalizing what three years ago would have triggered Scoop Armageddon.

I hope the Administration is taking stock because this program is not meeting the mark.

I'm praying for teal.

[MU82]

I'm fairly certain that not even Tanned Tommy would want to hang that banner from the rafters...

NIT is the lowest we should sink.

It is depressing to think how we are rationalizing what three years ago would have triggered Scoop Armageddon.

I hope the Administration is taking stock because this program is not meeting the mark.

Meaning what, Crash?

Seriously, I'm not sure what you mean by this. That Wojo should be in trouble already, just months after getting an extension from the very administration that should be taking stock?

[79Warrior]

I'm fairly certain that not even Tanned Tommy would want to hang that banner from the rafters...

NIT is the lowest we should sink.

It is depressing to think how we are rationalizing what three years ago would have triggered Scoop Armageddon.

I hope the Administration is taking stock because this program is not meeting the mark.

Agree with your comments. What concerns me more is next season will be a real crapshoot if HE leaves. I laugh at posters who think the team will be fine without him. Wojo needs to recruit some players who can slug it out in the paint. we get manhandled in too many BE games.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'm borrowing Spillproof's list of games with #1 seeds and adding games featuring other NIT contenders:

Stephen F. Austin vs. Houston Baptist (Autobid)
Hampton vs. Savannah State (Autobid)
Akron vs. Bowling Green (Autobid)
Weber State vs. North Dakota (Autobid)
New Mexico State vs. UMKC (Autobid)
San Diego State vs. Nevada (Autobid)
Hawaii vs. UC Santa Barbara (Autobid vs. potential at large)
Texas Southern vs. Southern University (Autobid)
Long Beach State vs. UC Irvine (Two potential at larges, probably want Long Beach State to win)
Texas A&M-CC vs. Sam Houston State (Potential at large)
Richmond vs. Dayton (potential at large)
Memphis vs. Tulsa (potential at large)
Fresno State vs. Colorado State (potential at large)
Davidson vs. St. Bonaventure (potential at large)
Alabama vs. Kentucky (potential at large)
LSU vs. Tennessee (potential at large)
Georgia vs. South Carolina (potential at large)

[CTWarrior]

I'm fairly certain that not even Tanned Tommy would want to hang that banner from the rafters...

NIT is the lowest we should sink.

It is depressing to think how we are rationalizing what three years ago would have triggered Scoop Armageddon.

I hope the Administration is taking stock because this program is not meeting the mark.

We aren't all that good this year. If we don't get into the NIT, we have no complaint.  It will be because we didn't earn it.   I would not get to excited about entering or winning the Las Vegas 16. 

OTOH, we are young and games in a tournament setting can only help our future growth, which is what we're after.  So, if the kids want to play and we think the experience is worth it, then go ahead and play.  It's not a pride thing.  It's a get better thing.