NIT Pairings set

[Olympic Fan]

Three ACC teams made the field -- No. 1 seed Syracuse; No. 2 seed Clemson and No. 6 seed Georgia Tech:

http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-...state-iowa-and

Syracuse opens at home against UNC-G ... as long as they win, they stay at home until they go to Madison Square Garden for the semifinals

Clemson opens with Oakland at home ... they should get one more home game unless No. 1 seed Iowa loses one of its first two games

Georgia Tech opens on the road at Indiana. The only way they get a home game is if there are some upsets ahead of them

[tbyers11]

Three ACC teams made the field -- No. 1 seed Syracuse; No. 2 seed Clemson and No. 6 seed Georgia Tech:

http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-...state-iowa-and

Syracuse opens at home against UNC-G ... as long as they win, they stay at home until they go to Madison Square Garden for the semifinals

Clemson opens with Oakland at home ... they should get one more home game unless No. 1 seed Iowa loses one of its first two games

Georgia Tech opens on the road at Indiana. The only way they get a home game is if there are some upsets ahead of them

GT vs Indiana is actually being played in Atlanta because Assembly Hall is undergoing renovations and is not available.

Shout out to Johnny Dawkins and UCF who are a 4 seed in the Illinois State bracket and host #5 Colorado.

[dukefan_828]

GT vs Indiana is actually being played in Atlanta because Assembly Hall is undergoing renovations and is not available.

Shout out to Johnny Dawkins and UCF who are a 4 seed in the Illinois State bracket and host #5 Colorado.

Johnny did a great job in his first season at the helm down in Central Florida, have you watched them play? Got a 7'6 guy who can actually run the floor, won Defensive POY in conference, they could make that leap to the big tournament next year!! Go johnny GO

[tbyers11]

Johnny did a great job in his first season at the helm down in Central Florida, have you watched them play? Got a 7'6 guy who can actually run the floor, won Defensive POY in conference, they could make that leap to the big tournament next year!! Go johnny GO

Yes, I've seen them play several times. Tacko Fall is the 7'6" guy and made huge strides from freshman to sophomore years. He could be really good next year. They only lose 2 rotation players and and their PG BJ Taylor who is quite good will be a junior next year. They have four transfers sitting out for next year including Johnny's son Aubrey who has 2 years left after transferring from Michigan. Future definitely looks bright especially by UCF standards.

[devildeac]

Three ACC teams made the field -- No. 1 seed Syracuse; No. 2 seed Clemson and No. 6 seed Georgia Tech:

http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-...state-iowa-and

Syracuse opens at home against UNC-G ... as long as they win, they stay at home until they go to Madison Square Garden for the semifinals

Clemson opens with Oakland at home ... they should get one more home game unless No. 1 seed Iowa loses one of its first two games

Georgia Tech opens on the road at Indiana. The only way they get a home game is if there are some upsets ahead of them

The UNC-G team really oughtta take a few "signature" Greensboro items up to Syracuse and give them to the grumpy old SOB as a guest/host gift. A pint/quart of Stamey's Q, a mixed 12 pack from Natty Greene's and a couple baked items from the Delicious Bakery might work. OTOH, the beer from Natty Greene's might not be a good idea as I heard Boeheim is more of a w(h)ine guy.

[gep]

The UNC-G team really oughtta take a few "signature" Greensboro items up to Syracuse and give them to the grumpy old SOB as a guest/host gift. A pint/quart of Stamey's Q, a mixed 12 pack from Natty Greene's and a couple baked items from the Delicious Bakery might work. OTOH, the beer from Natty Greene's might not be a good idea as I heard Boeheim is more of a w(h)ine guy.

I never really liked him... even if he's one of Coach K's best friends...

[Devilwin]

The UNC-G team really oughtta take a few "signature" Greensboro items up to Syracuse and give them to the grumpy old SOB as a guest/host gift. A pint/quart of Stamey's Q, a mixed 12 pack from Natty Greene's and a couple baked items from the Delicious Bakery might work. OTOH, the beer from Natty Greene's might not be a good idea as I heard Boeheim is more of a w(h)ine guy.

I wouldn't waste our good world famous BBQ on that self righteous Yankee Scumbag..lol

[luburch]

GT vs Indiana is actually being played in Atlanta because Assembly Hall is undergoing renovations and is not available.

Shout out to Johnny Dawkins and UCF who are a 4 seed in the Illinois State bracket and host #5 Colorado.

Indiana actually declined to host the games, because the students are on spring break. Simply put, they didn't want to show an empty arena with a few hostile fans on television.

[tbyers11]

Indiana actually declined to host the games, because the students are on spring break. Simply put, they didn't want to show an empty arena with a few hostile fans on television.

Good to know. They said on the announcement show that Assembly Hall was unavailable due to renovations. I wonder if ESPN made that up or were told that because it sounds better from a PR standpoint than we don't want to play in front of an empty arena

[Matches]

It really is a shame that the Syracuse/ UNC-G game couldn't be in Greensboro. Still, epic troll job by the NIT committee - very well-played!

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Good to know. They said on the announcement show that Assembly Hall was unavailable due to renovations. I wonder if ESPN made that up or were told that because it sounds better from a PR standpoint than we don't want to play in front of an empty arena

Similarly, I'm guessing the Carrier Dome will be empty for the Syracuse games - it will not make for great TV.

[Wander]

Syracuse opens at home against UNC-G

Hahahahahahaha

I may actually watch my first NIT game.

[Reilly]

And down goes Syracuse, proving there's no value whatsoever to being a #1 seed in the NIT with a cranky-pants coach.

[uh_no]

And down goes Syracuse, proving there's no value whatsoever to being a #1 seed in the NIT with a cranky-pants coach.

and that the middle of the ACC is perhaps not as strong as we would have liked :/

so far the top of the league has held up their end of the bargain, ND and UVA have been iffy, and it's been a big drop off below that, including poor showings by clemson and now cuse in the NIT.

Not that any of that particularly matters...but I would have liked to see some better performances there.

[juise]

I don't see it noted here, but Johnny's UCF team advanced in their first round game and plays again Monday at #1 Illinois St. I wish him much more success in the NCAAT, but I wonder where Johnny ranks in career NIT game wins... or at least in the "modern era" (where the NIT was not desirable).

[Olympic Fan]

and that the middle of the ACC is perhaps not as strong as we would have liked :/

so far the top of the league has held up their end of the bargain, ND and UVA have been iffy, and it's been a big drop off below that, including poor showings by clemson and now cuse in the NIT.

Not that any of that particularly matters...but I would have liked to see some better performances there.

As much of an ACC advocate as I am, I couldn't help chortling a little bit to see this score. Maybe it's the idea that Boeheim hates the ACC and is still a Big East coach in his mind.

That said, I wouldn't read too much into NIT performances. Different teams bring different levels of interest. Yes, Clemson folded and Syracuse loses at home, but you also have Cal and Indiana sleep-walking through games with lame duck coaches. Ten of the first 16 NIT games were technically upsets -- usually motivated lower level teams beating disinterested P6 teams.

Now, NCAA performances are different -- and with Notre Dame struggling today, your comments about the middle of the ACC carry some weight -- but I wouldn't bring the NIT into it.

PS The winningest NIT coach ... could that be Dave Odom with three NIT titles (one at Wake, two at South Carolina and an NIT runnerup on his resume) probably holds the modern record. I think he has 21 NIT wins overall.

[Olympic Fan]

Georgia Tech blitzed Belmont this morning in an early NIT game.

That moves them into the quarterfinals against Ole Miss -- on the road.

That makes the ACC 3-2 in the NIT and likely to finish 3-3 (which could be better than the ACC's record in the NCAA Tournament).