No big Dance, no NIT for Martin and players

[FeatheredCock]

The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team was not invited to play in the NIT. South Carolina (18-13, 9-9 SEC) was bounced from its first game in the SEC Tournament on Thursday, with a 73-51 loss to Mississippi State.

Despite metrics that pointed to postseason play, the Gamecocks (18-13, 9-9 SEC) did not receive a bid to the 32-team National Invitation Tournament when the NIT field was announced Sunday night. The NIT snub extends USC’s postseason dry spell another year. Frank Martin’s Gamecocks haven’t made the NCAA tournament since 2017’s historic Final Four run. However, the 2020 Gamecocks seemed likely to at least earn an NIT bid before COVID-19 cut the season short.

None of South Carolina, Clemson, or Furman made the NCAA tournament nor the NIT despite winning records. The 32-team NIT field does include Vanderbilt a team USC beat twice this season and a Texas A&M team that the Gamecocks defeated on the road. Despite finishing behind USC in the SEC standings and going 0-2 head-to-head, Vanderbilt (17-16, 7-11) earned a No. 4 seed in the NIT, likely on the strength of its No. 66 NET ranking. Following a one-and-done showing against Mississippi State as a No. 7 seed in the SEC tournament, the Gamecocks dropped to No. 93 in the NET rankings.

 

[doublea1971]

@FeatheredCock… you’ve now explained the problem for the last 5 seasons… we’ve had Cheech Marin coaching for us all along (see title of thread)! I knew Frank looked different… I assumed it was the COVID and alopecia.

 

[FeatheredCock]

LOL, I see that, took a sleeping pill and got the better part of me...

 

[kingofnerf]

I said for most of the season that this was a good team and would be a great team if it could find a way to get quality wins, but it just didn't happen.

MBB was picked to finish at the bottom of the barrel in the SEC this year, as was the football and baseball teams.

Last year Dawn said that while, yes, coaching is a performance-driven career, it's not necessarily the only thing as far as a coach being fired.

I think she was talking about more than just Covid and that's why I say we need a new AD.

If we as a fan base don't understand this, at least the sports journalists and oddsmakers do.

 

[Swayin]

Time for a change IMO.

 

[Spur's Addiction]

Time for a change IMO.

I am not a huge basketball fan in general. But I did get into following the team during the Fogler years, Dave Odom's NIT runs, and the Final -Four run a few years back. But these past few years there is not much to get excited about. The fact that we are not a traditional basketball power hurts recruiting big time. With Dook and UNC right up the road, why play at USC if you are a superstar?

Frank failed to capitalize on the FF run. If that didn't get recruits attention to come play here, I'm not sure what will. Dawn has been able to do it on the women's side. So maybe there is hope. But I don't think it will be with FM.