2014 NIT thread

[Reilly]

There was an NIT selection show on espnU earlier tonight.

One graphic showed how some recent teams have used NIT success to launch a good run in the NCAA's the next year or two. Nice to see 2010 UNC featured ....

The acting selection committee chair, in his interview, mentioned Maryland as one of the teams who received very strong consideration for the NIT this year but just didn't quite make it.

So, it was a pretty enjoyable show.

[Here is a Turtle]

Ugh... Still disgusted that we missed it. I have to go back a long time to find another Maryland team that disappointed this much. Worse than 2005 definitely. Turgeon needs to turn it around and fast.

[gofurman]

Ugh... Still disgusted that we missed it. I have to go back a long time to find another Maryland team that disappointed this much. Worse than 2005 definitely. Turgeon needs to turn it around and fast.

Go tigers and fsu. Represent the acc. How bout duke wins the NCAA and Clemson wins the nit?

Lost in shuffle is that means 8 teams of 15 ACC teams made NCAA or nit ... I was thinking 9 or 10 of 15 when season started...

[Here is a Turtle]

My money is on FSU. They should take care of business at home.

[Reilly]

Arkansas, Lavin's St. John's, Green Bay who many thought should be in the NCAA, ACC brethren Clemson and FSU, young Pitino's Minnesota team, and Georgetown all in action.

[pfrduke]

Robert Morris doing Robert Morris things again - currently up 22 on St. John's at halftime. Unlike last year, the Rob is on the road this season (although playing at the St. John's campus arena, not the Garden).

[OldPhiKap]

Highlight of FSU ending Maryland's season brings a smile.

FSU in a battle with FLorida Gulf Coast, who Mercer beat at FGCU to win their league.

[OldPhiKap]

FSU v. G'Town should be good. As should UGa v. Vermont in that bracket.

[Reilly]

Vermont fell to Georgia. Larry Brown (SMU) advances. espn showing that Clemson/Illini will be Sunday morning at 11 am. There could be an attractive football match-up in the round of 8, with a chance of FSU/Georgia.

[House G]

Georgia, after falling behind by 26 points in the first half at home to Louisiana Tech, loses by 9. Louisiana Tech is coached by Michael White, who is the son of Kevin White, Duke's athletic director. If Florida State beats Georgetown, they will play La. Tech.

[Reilly]

Clemson beat Illini by 1 to get to final 8. Will play Belmont.

[Reilly]

Clemson paying for NYC tonight.

FSU playing Kevin White's son's team tomorrow for NYC.

[Reilly]

Tigahs losing by 4 with 13+ minutes left ... trip to NYC on the line ...

[CR9]

Southern Miss are such an interesting team to watch. Their 1-3-1 match-up zone is terrific. I don't know of many teams that primarily use the 1-3-1 but I know Michigan's 1-3-1 isn't anything like this. Meaning, it's half as good as USM's.

[eddiehaskell]

ACC can salvage the season with 2 teams in the NIT final 4 and a win or two by Virginia.

[arnie]

ACC can salvage the season with 2 teams in the NIT final 4 and a win or two by Virginia.

I don't consider NIT success particularly helpful to perception of the ACC- we should be better than that.

[Here is a Turtle]

But can we all agree that Clemson storming the court against Belmont was too much. That has to go against the rules of court storming (if there are rules).

[CR9]

Southern Miss are such an interesting team to watch. Their 1-3-1 match-up zone is terrific. I don't know of many teams that primarily use the 1-3-1 but I know Michigan's 1-3-1 isn't anything like this. Meaning, it's half as good as USM's.

'Course, soon as I praise USM for their defense, Austin Hollins goes crazy.

[eddiehaskell]

I don't consider NIT success particularly helpful to perception of the ACC- we should be better than that.Yeah, not really something to hang the league's hat on, but if anything it may point to decent/good teams all the way down to the ~8th best team.

[Henderson]

You know, I don't mean any disrespect to any of the teams playing in the NIT. It's just me and my short attention span or something. It's great for their fans and their players still to be playing. But for me, NIT means Not Interested in That.

A big reason why they got rid of the consolation game in the Final Four to determine the third place team was that no one cared.

The NIT is one big consolation game.

And imagine hanging a banner for a CBI championship. Oy. Siena, Old Dominion, Illinois State and Fresno State in the Final Four this year.

[eddiehaskell]

You know, I don't mean any disrespect to any of the teams playing in the NIT. It's just me and my short attention span or something. It's great for their fans and their players still to be playing. But for me, NIT means Not Interested in That.

A big reason why they got rid of the consolation game in the Final Four to determine the third place team was that no one cared.

The NIT is one big consolation game.

And imagine hanging a banner for a CBI championship. Oy. Siena, Old Dominion, Illinois State and Fresno State in the Final Four this year.I think the NIT may do more good for the team than the fans. It's a chance for a team to end on high note, get more games together (4-5 games for a Clemson team bringing everyone back minus KJ McDaniels) and get a taste of competitive post season play. I'm pretty sure most of these higher seeds feel like they have an axe to grind - "hey, we should've been in the big dance and here is a little more proof of why."

[ice-9]

Certainly makes the ACC look good to have Clemson and Florida St in the semis...even better if they were to meet in the finals.

Implies those two are on the cusp of being considered good enough for the NCAA tournament.

[Reilly]

Clemson by 12 over Larry Brown & Co. at the half ....

[vick]

Can I ask a question to the people talking down the NIT? If you're football fans as well, did you care about the Belk Bowl a 6-6 Duke team played in? I get the sense most Duke football fans did, but it was certainly no more relevant to any sort of national championship than the NIT.

(I also am thoroughly baffled by the idea that the 6th best team losing in the NCAA tournament early tells you something important about a conference but the 7th and 8th best teams winning a lot of NIT games does not).

[Dunkin]

I am glad that SMU is now in the finals of the NIT. As an SMU grad, I was disappointed they did not get into the Big Dance, but now they can attract some more attention and help on the recruiting end, I hope. GW Bush is attending games with wife Laura who was in my graduating class. Glad to see things picking up for the Ponies after 6 years of Doh who told them he could turn the program around in 7 years and got a contract for that. They gave him 6 before cutting him loose and getting Larry Brown. Go Ponies in the final game!

[arnie]

You know, I don't mean any disrespect to any of the teams playing in the NIT. It's just me and my short attention span or something. It's great for their fans and their players still to be playing. But for me, NIT means Not Interested in That.

A big reason why they got rid of the consolation game in the Final Four to determine the third place team was that no one cared.

The NIT is one big consolation game.
.

Heels fan and Dean/Gut/Matt/Roy vehemently disagree with this post. 3rd place NIT moment will always be celebrated.

[CDu]

Heels fan and Dean/Gut/Matt/Roy vehemently disagree with this post. 3rd place NIT moment will always be celebrated.

I know that this has become a common punch line against UNC fans. But that 3rd Place NIT banner was from an era when the NIT was actually VERY relevant. In the old days (before at-large bids were allowed in the NCAA tournament), the NIT actually fielded more of the good teams than the NCAA tournament. For example, only one team from the ACC would get in, which meant that only one of Maryland, Duke, UNC, NC State, and Virginia would be in the NCAA tournament.

So back in the early 70's (which is where the UNC banner in question comes from), a 3rd place in the NIT would probably have been comparable to an elite-8 finish in the NCAA tournament. Now, of course, it would be a bit silly to brag about a 3rd place NIT finish. But that wasn't always the case.

[brevity]

I know that this has become a common punch line against UNC fans. But that 3rd Place NIT banner was from an era when the NIT was actually VERY relevant. In the old days (before at-large bids were allowed in the NCAA tournament), the NIT actually fielded more of the good teams than the NCAA tournament. For example, only one team from the ACC would get in, which meant that only one of Maryland, Duke, UNC, NC State, and Virginia would be in the NCAA tournament.

So back in the early 70's (which is where the UNC banner in question comes from), a 3rd place in the NIT would probably have been comparable to an elite-8 finish in the NCAA tournament. Now, of course, it would be a bit silly to brag about a 3rd place NIT finish. But that wasn't always the case.

All of that may be true, but then how do you explain UNC's 3rd place banner from the 2006 Preseason NIT?

[Matches]

The NIT is easy enough to ignore for anyone who's not interested in it. Usually it does include some decent teams, though - I doubt anyone on this board would be too quick to put down Clemson. Personally I don't follow it closely but if Duke was in it I think I'd take it pretty seriously.

[diamondm]

Haven't been over to the DBR in ages, but I wanted to come check in on what my second alma mater was saying about my first (SMU), and give some perspective on what it means for a team and fans to be in the Finals of the NIT.

3 weeks ago, we didn't want to be here. We weren't supposed to be here. By all accounts we were locks on selection Sunday (which is why I saw no problem going to that damn selection Sunday event with my husband and 2 children). We got screwed, along with the rest of the AAC (that's not up for debate, really). If you asked us a week before whether we would have preferred to be in the NCAA and lose in the first round or go to the Finals of the NIT, we would have chosen the former. We all said NIT is a consolation prize compared to the NCAAs. No one cares if you're in the NIT. Media doesn't care. Recruits don't care. Players don't care. Fans don't care. (In fact, this was an actual debate on our boards in February before we beat UConn for the second time at UConn and became "locks". After that the debate seemed moot). And all that is probably true if you're Duke. Or UNC. Or other programs that have a history of being in the Big Dance.

But what a consolation prize it has been for our program, where it is right now. We have been in the desert so long. Had we got our bid, we would have had our party and patted ourselves on the back, and who knows what would have happened. Maybe we'd have gone far in the tourney, or maybe we would have lost in the first round satisfied with accomplishing what hadn't been done at SMU in 21 years. But what did happen was that our players got hungry to prove everyone wrong. So we got 3 more home games -- 2 of them sell outs, and the 3rd one against UC Irvine (UC Irvine!) was close. I was shocked --- SHOCKED --- that local (and national) celebrities and even the average SMU fan in a city that is notorious for front runner syndrome still actually cared enough to show up. Building this bandwagon momentum is HUGE for an SMU program that I have supported for over 2 decades wishing and hoping that Moody would realized its potential as a Cameron-like environment. Let me tell you, the only time I can remember a louder roar and more excitement in the stands in person at a basketball game than when Nic Moore hit the 3 against Cal was when Capel hit that shot against UNC to send it to double OT (you know the one I'm talking about -- I was there in the front row). So our 2 seniors who saw the craptastic crowds and records from just a few short years ago under Coach Doh got a do-over for their Senior Night, which had been our only previous home loss, to Louisville with Russ Smith going out of his mind hitting 3s from everywhere with hands in his face. (Finally, my dream of becoming the crazy towel lady at Moody might actually not be so far fetched.)

And then there is the way the team has won these NIT games -- finally showing the ability to come back from adversity. We didn't show it in our nail in the coffin loss in the first round of the AAC tourney, or in our losses at Louisville and Memphis, or in our 2 bad losses earlier in the year. But we have showed poise and determination in every game of the NIT in coming back from deficits to win. (It would be nice though if they could please play better in the first half against Minnesota. Maybe we could instead jump out to double digit leads like we did against Memphis, Cinci, and UCONN at home.) But now they can go into next year knowing that they have it in them, but still with a little chip on their shoulder that they have something to prove to the doubters.

So yes, you can't always get what you want. But sometimes, you get just what you need.

[arnie]

I know that this has become a common punch line against UNC fans. But that 3rd Place NIT banner was from an era when the NIT was actually VERY relevant. In the old days (before at-large bids were allowed in the NCAA tournament), the NIT actually fielded more of the good teams than the NCAA tournament. For example, only one team from the ACC would get in, which meant that only one of Maryland, Duke, UNC, NC State, and Virginia would be in the NCAA tournament.

So back in the early 70's (which is where the UNC banner in question comes from), a 3rd place in the NIT would probably have been comparable to an elite-8 finish in the NCAA tournament. Now, of course, it would be a bit silly to brag about a 3rd place NIT finish. But that wasn't always the case.

Not entirely true. In the early 70s we actually played the heels in the NIT " final 4" we lost but no one really cared and there is no banner in
CI.

[Reilly]

Not entirely true. In the early 70s we actually played the heels in the NIT " final 4" we lost but no one really cared and there is no banner in
CI.

http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19710325

We went on to lose the next game to St. Bonnie's ... maybe if we had won that one, we could hang a 3d place banner.

[arnie]

http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19710325

We went on to lose the next game to St. Bonnie's ... maybe if we had won that one, we could hang a 3d place banner.

Wow, thanks for the box as it brings back memories. I'd forgotten O'connor and Dawson still on that team. I guess they left the Bucky team the next year.

[CDu]

All of that may be true, but then how do you explain UNC's 3rd place banner from the 2006 Preseason NIT?

I assume this is a joke, right? Because I'm quite sure they don't have one of those hanging (just the 1973 3rd place banner). In fact, I think they've even taken down the 1973 NIT banner in more recent years.

[brevity]

All of that may be true, but then how do you explain UNC's 3rd place banner from the 2006 Preseason NIT?


I assume this is a joke, right? Because I'm quite sure they don't have one of those hanging (just the 1973 3rd place banner). In fact, I think they've even taken down the 1973 NIT banner in more recent years.

It was a well-researched joke.

UNC really did win the consolation game of the 2006 Preseason NIT, but no banner can be found hanging at the Dean Dome. Though it's still possible that UNC had a banner issued -- maybe they get a discount based on volume -- and that it's hanging in Roy Williams' man cave. Only he and Will Graves would know for sure.

[Reilly]

The Helms Bakery Co. is in charge of fake national championships. Maybe Hostess handles 3d place pre-season NIT banners and is behind on the order due to its recent liquidation and sale. They love their bread, buns, and banners (and tater tots!) at Glenwood Elementary.

[rsvman]

Haven't been over to the DBR in ages, but I wanted to come check in on what my second alma mater was saying about my first (SMU), and give some perspective on what it means for a team and fans to be in the Finals of the NIT.

3 weeks ago, we didn't want to be here. We weren't supposed to be here. By all accounts we were locks on selection Sunday (which is why I saw no problem going to that damn selection Sunday event with my husband and 2 children). We got screwed, along with the rest of the AAC (that's not up for debate, really). If you asked us a week before whether we would have preferred to be in the NCAA and lose in the first round or go to the Finals of the NIT, we would have chosen the former. We all said NIT is a consolation prize compared to the NCAAs. No one cares if you're in the NIT. Media doesn't care. Recruits don't care. Players don't care. Fans don't care. (In fact, this was an actual debate on our boards in February before we beat UConn for the second time at UConn and became "locks". After that the debate seemed moot). And all that is probably true if you're Duke. Or UNC. Or other programs that have a history of being in the Big Dance.

But what a consolation prize it has been for our program, where it is right now. We have been in the desert so long. Had we got our bid, we would have had our party and patted ourselves on the back, and who knows what would have happened. Maybe we'd have gone far in the tourney, or maybe we would have lost in the first round satisfied with accomplishing what hadn't been done at SMU in 21 years. But what did happen was that our players got hungry to prove everyone wrong. So we got 3 more home games -- 2 of them sell outs, and the 3rd one against UC Irvine (UC Irvine!) was close. I was shocked --- SHOCKED --- that local (and national) celebrities and even the average SMU fan in a city that is notorious for front runner syndrome still actually cared enough to show up. Building this bandwagon momentum is HUGE for an SMU program that I have supported for over 2 decades wishing and hoping that Moody would realized its potential as a Cameron-like environment. Let me tell you, the only time I can remember a louder roar and more excitement in the stands in person at a basketball game than when Nic Moore hit the 3 against Cal was when Capel hit that shot against UNC to send it to double OT (you know the one I'm talking about -- I was there in the front row). So our 2 seniors who saw the craptastic crowds and records from just a few short years ago under Coach Doh got a do-over for their Senior Night, which had been our only previous home loss, to Louisville with Russ Smith going out of his mind hitting 3s from everywhere with hands in his face. (Finally, my dream of becoming the crazy towel lady at Moody might actually not be so far fetched.)

And then there is the way the team has won these NIT games -- finally showing the ability to come back from adversity. We didn't show it in our nail in the coffin loss in the first round of the AAC tourney, or in our losses at Louisville and Memphis, or in our 2 bad losses earlier in the year. But we have showed poise and determination in every game of the NIT in coming back from deficits to win. (It would be nice though if they could please play better in the first half against Minnesota. Maybe we could instead jump out to double digit leads like we did against Memphis, Cinci, and UCONN at home.) But now they can go into next year knowing that they have it in them, but still with a little chip on their shoulder that they have something to prove to the doubters.

So yes, you can't always get what you want. But sometimes, you get just what you need.

Thanks for posting this perspective. Good luck to your team in the finals.