The NIT and CBI

[ShepCock]

I just found out from another site that it is now possible to make both of these tournaments with a losing record.

http://bracketmatrix.com/nit.html
 

There are now 7 automatic bids in this bracket (Belmont, Davidson, Florida Gulf Coast, High Point, Iona, Vermont, and Wisconsin-Green Bay). Nebraska and California moved up into the NCAA bracket while Arkansas and Providence moved down to here. At the bottom of the bracket, with all the auto bids filling spots, it pushed out Boise State, Indiana State, Ole Miss, Ohio, and UNLV.   Next update on Friday.

 
FYI - We are 0-3 against Ole Miss and Boise State.

The CBI features 16 teams and the CIT will have 32 teams exclusively from non-BCS leagues.  The CIT requires teams to have a .500 record or better while the NIT and CBI do not have such a requirement.  The CIT also doesn't place teams in a bracket, opting to place teams in matchups after the previous round has concluded.  
 
Schools have been known to decline an invitation to the CBI and CIT tournaments due to the lack of interest in playing in a third-tier tournament or to the pay-to-play nature of these tournaments.

 
Purdue (15-17) and Texas (16-17) both made the CBI last year with losing records.
 
Could this be our destiny as well?  I think any scenario that has this young team playing more games can only help.
 
Would you like to see more basketball into March, or do you think these tournaments are beneath a Frank Martin led squad?

 

[Superb Owl]

I have always liked playing beyond the SEC Tournament, I welcome it.

 

[picknroll]

I don't think we'll be invited but if we are, I say GO FOR THE GLORY!!!!

 

[ShepCock]

I don't think we'll be invited but if we are, I say GO FOR THE GLORY!!!!

I'm not sure we will be either.  But consider this: this year we have a losing record and an RPI of 137.  Last year, Purdue was invited to the CBI with a losing record and an RPI of 136.  They were only 2 games under .500 though.

I'm not optimistic, but if we do go to the CBI, I would embrace it!

 

[ShepCock]

The 2014 NIT Field
 
SMU Quadrant
 
1. SMU
8. UC Irvine
 
4. San Francisco
5. LSU
 
3. Arkansas
6. Indiana State
 
2. California
7. Utah Valley
 
St. John's Quadrant
 
1. St. John's
8. Robert Morris
 
4. Green Bay
5. Belmont
 
3. Clemson
6. Georgia State
 
2. Illinois
7. Boston University
 
Minnesota Quadrant
 
1. Minnesota
8. High Point
 
4. St. Mary's
5. Utah
 
3. Southern Miss
6. Toledo
 
2. Missouri
7. Davidson
 
Florida State Quadrant
 
1. Florida State
8. Florida Gulf Coast
 
4. Georgetown
5. West Virginia
 
3. Louisiana Tech
6. Iona
 
2. Georgia
7. Vermont
 
Bracket: http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/4147301/NITBracket.png

 

[ShepCock]

The 2014 CBI Tournament will begin Tuesday, March 18, with several mid-majors getting a chance to reach the best of three final. Who will take home the trophy from the 16 teams?
 
Texas A&M Pod:
 
Wyoming at Texas A&M
Morehead State at Illinois State
 
Oregon State Pod:
 
Radford at Oregon State
South Dakota State at Old Dominion
 
UTEP Pod:
 
Fresno State at UTEP
Princeton at Tulane
 
Penn State Pod:
 
Hampton at Penn State
Stony Brook at Siena, Tue., 7 p.m.
 
Quarterfinals
 
March 24 at campus sites, two games televised on CBSSN.
 
Semifinals
 
March 26 at campus sites
 
Championship Series
 
March 31, April 2, April 4 (if necessary). Televised on CBSSN.
 
All times Eastern.
 
Bracket: http://www.gazellegroup.com/events/cbi/cbi14_bracket.pdf

 

[ShepCock]

Here are the SEC teams that are playing postseason ball this year.
 
NCAA Tournament (3):
 
1. Florida (South Region); 8. Kentucky (Midwest Region); 11. Tennessee (Midwest Region)
 
NIT (4):
 
2. Missouri (Minnesota Region); 2. Georgia (Florida State Region); 3. Arkansas (SMU Region); 5. LSU (SMU Region)
 
Also, Texas A&M made the CBI Tournament field.
 
And Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina and Mississippi State will not be playing postseason ball this year.
 
Kind of surprised by no tournament picking Ole Miss actually, after Marshall Henderson was quite the draw just a year ago.