2009 NIT Thread

[TruffleShuffle]

Go Penn State!

[NCCubFan]

Go Kentucky!

[Derwood]

Let's not forget Northwestern, Davidson, Va Tech....um.....

[Jon]

8 hours until Northwestern gets screwed with a 6 seed.

[Illini Iceman]

The NIT in the early rounds seems to put emphasis setting up "interesting" matchups that will actually draw crowds and generate good revenue. They don't seem to care too much if that means putting two of the better teams up against each other if it is a good regional matchup.

 

Probably one of the best games I ever attended was a 1983 NIT game between DePaul and Northwestern. Those teams probably had no logical reason to play in the early rounds based on seedings but there was no way the NIT was passing up that gate. I am pretty sure the Rosemont Horizon (that's what it was called back them) was sold out.

[Derwood]

The NIT in the early rounds seems to put emphasis setting up "interesting" matchups that will actually draw crowds and generate good revenue. They don't seem to care too much if that means putting two of the better teams up against each other if it is a good regional matchup.

 

Probably one of the best games I ever attended was a 1983 NIT game between DePaul and Northwestern. Those teams probably had no logical reason to play in the early rounds based on seedings but there was no way the NIT was passing up that gate. I am pretty sure the Rosemont Horizon (that's what it was called back them) was sold out.

 

up until a couple of years ago, they didn't really seed the NIT at all. They never even published a bracket.

 

But I've been to a couple of NIT games and they really are fun. Back when PSU was in the A-10, they made the NIT and hosted a game against (I think) West Virginia. This was before they built the Bryce Jordan Center, so the game was played in Rec Hall, which seated maybe 5000 people. It was one of the most intense sporting events I've ever attended. ESPN there to air it, standing room only, the crowd literally a foot from the sidelines....and PSU won. Makes me hate the fact that they built the BJC, as Rec Hall had a Cameron-esque home court advantage built in

[Jon]

I've heard plenty of accounts from the '83 matchup, though more about the St. Patrick's day victory over Notre Dame. But those days of the NIT are over. The NIT can take some liberties when putting together regions, as they do want them to make some geographic sense, but they're pretty much straight seeds since the NCAA took over.

[Andy]

I just hope ND gets matched up in an interesting game.

[bukie]

I just hope ND gets matched up in an interesting game.

I could totally see an ND-Northwestern game.

[Smack]

Can't spell Nittany without the... sorry, had to...

[Derwood]

Can't spell Nittany without the... sorry, had to...

 

BOOM ROASTED

[TruffleShuffle]

Can't spell Nittany without the... sorry, had to...

 

usually penn state doesn't even make the NIT.

[Andy]

Here is an NIT bracket projection: Link

[TruffleShuffle]

Here is an NIT bracket projection: Link

 

YES a projected 1 seed for penn st!!!

[UMFan83]

http://www.nitology.com is a very good one too. I think they got 31/32 last year. I am very versed with how the NIT selection process works.

[Jon]

Notre Dame gets a 2 seed and Northwestern gets a 5 seed. That just makes all the sense in the world, with NU and ND being next to each other in RPI (flip flopped on different sites), NU 6-10 against RPI top 50 teams compared to ND's 2-12, and 2-3 against top 25 to ND's 1-9. But I guess ND's decimal point advantage in SoS makes up for that.

[Mark_R]

http://www.nitology.com is a very good one too. I think they got 31/32 last year. I am very versed with how the NIT selection process works.

 

I thought about making the joke about michigan fans knowing all about the NIT, but you stole all the fun away.

 

Thanks :(

[Andy]

Notre Dame gets a 2 seed and Northwestern gets a 5 seed. That just makes all the sense in the world, with NU and ND being next to each other in RPI (flip flopped on different sites), NU 6-10 against RPI top 50 teams compared to ND's 2-12, and 2-3 against top 25 to ND's 1-9. But I guess ND's decimal point advantage in SoS makes up for that.

A) The NIT is not a meritocracy.

 

B) You can have our 2 seed and play UAB, ranked 42nd by Pomeroy, and we'll play Tulsa, ranked 58th. (Again. Not a meritocracy.)

[bhogg]

Arkansas has a history of refusing to play Arkansas State in any sport.

 

In 1987, the NIT put the two schools against each other. Nolan Richardson was in his second year. The Hogs were getting blown out at half time and Broyles had decided that if they didn't come back and win Nolan would be fired. Lucky for the hogs they came back and won.

 

 

A few years back, the WNIT put the two schools together and played the game in Jonesboro. It sold out in minutes --- something a womens game had never done around these parts.

 

 

I definitely like those early matchups. . . . the NIT isn't always terrible.

[Derwood]

don't know if it's official, but I see a bracket with PSU as a #2, facing George Mason in round 1

[Jon]

Notre Dame gets a 2 seed and Northwestern gets a 5 seed. That just makes all the sense in the world, with NU and ND being next to each other in RPI (flip flopped on different sites), NU 6-10 against RPI top 50 teams compared to ND's 2-12, and 2-3 against top 25 to ND's 1-9. But I guess ND's decimal point advantage in SoS makes up for that.

A) The NIT is not a meritocracy.

 

B) You can have our 2 seed and play UAB, ranked 42nd by Pomeroy, and we'll play Tulsa, ranked 58th. (Again. Not a meritocracy.)

They have pretty strict rules, selecting in groups of 4, and though there are policies to create matchups based on location when possible, that only accounts for a 1 seed jump. No other rules explain this seeding.

 

Welsh-Ryan Ramblings[/url]"]Tonight the NIT Selection Committee showed they have little understanding of basketball by seeding Northwestern 5th in their region and sending them to Tulsa to play the Golden Hurricanes. Meanwhile, Notre Dame, a team with a worse RPI than NU and only 18 total wins, one over a non-division 1 team (therefore 17 just like NU), got a two seed. In addition, Illinois State who had a better RPI and more wins than either Northwestern or Notre Dame also got a #5-seed and will travel to Manhattan, Kansas to play Kansas State. ISU’s RPI is # 48, Kansas State’s #82. These seeding are harder to understand than the vocabulary in a David Forster Wallace novel.

 

It seems the NIT Selection Committee didn’t even bother to look at items like RPI or top-50 wins (Notre Dame had TWO) or anything other than reputation and total wins. For example, Illinois State beat Creighton by 18 points (Hey, NIT committee that’s almost 20), however, Creighton is a number 1-seed, ISU is a 5-seed. Does this make sense? How about Niagara as a #3-seed? Sure, they have 26 wins, but I would be very happy to go to Niagara and play them. Their best win is over Siena (their ONLY (read:1) top 50 win), an NCAA #9-seed. Northwestern’s best win is over Michigan State, an NCAA #2-seed. Obviously, the NIT Selection Committee must have missed this fact when they discussing how to seed the field. Virginia Tech also happens to have received a #2-seed. How many top-50 wins do you think they have? NIT Committee? Coach Keady? C.M. Newton (the M must stand for misinformed) Virginia Tech has 2. Same as Notre Dame. Apparently, the key to being a two seed in the NIT is to only beat TWO top-50 teams. Northwestern has SIX in case you need to know. I'm not a math major, but six is four more than two. I know that. I could write more, but I’m angry and I think I’ve made my points. Oh, also our game is on ESPNU, so good luck seeing it if you’ve got Comcast. Thanks NIT Committee, thanks a lot.

I'd gladly take a 2 seed with a home game on ESPN2 against UAB than a 5 seed.

[TruffleShuffle]

if it makes you feel better, notre dame lost to holy cross (who was the better team) in 2005 despite notre dame getting an undeserved home game. and they only drew 2,500 so they didn't even justify the home game by turning out a solid crowd.

[Andy]

if it makes you feel better, notre dame lost to holy cross (who was the better team) in 2005 despite notre dame getting an undeserved home game. and they only drew 2,500 so they didn't even justify the home game by turning out a solid crowd.

Exactly. No one is going to go to this game. It's going to be embarrassing. No one wants to go watch a group of ridiculous underachievers bow out against one of Memphis's C-USA punching bags. I'm going to be at work so I won't even be watching.

 

I can't even describe my level of dumbfoundedness over that blog rant, as if the NIT means even one tiny little thing.

[bcl412]

if it makes you feel better, notre dame lost to holy cross (who was the better team) in 2005 despite notre dame getting an undeserved home game. and they only drew 2,500 so they didn't even justify the home game by turning out a solid crowd.

Exactly. No one is going to go to this game. It's going to be embarrassing. No one wants to go watch a group of ridiculous underachievers bow out against one of Memphis's C-USA punching bags. I'm going to be at work so I won't even be watching.

 

I can't even describe my level of dumbfoundedness over that blog rant, as if the NIT means even one tiny little thing.

 

One of the worst things the NIT can do is give an underachieving team a home bid. No body is going to show up to that game. In 2001-2002 Iowa played LSU at home and nobody showed up to an Iowa loss.

 

To get good attendance they should let the teams who don't go to the post-season much host or let teams who weren't expected to make the post-season host.

[Flames24Rulz]

if it makes you feel better, notre dame lost to holy cross (who was the better team) in 2005 despite notre dame getting an undeserved home game. and they only drew 2,500 so they didn't even justify the home game by turning out a solid crowd.

Exactly. No one is going to go to this game. It's going to be embarrassing. No one wants to go watch a group of ridiculous underachievers bow out against one of Memphis's C-USA punching bags. I'm going to be at work so I won't even be watching.

 

I can't even describe my level of dumbfoundedness over that blog rant, as if the NIT means even one tiny little thing.

 

One of the worst things the NIT can do is give an underachieving team a home bid. No body is going to show up to that game. In 2001-2002 Iowa played LSU at home and nobody showed up to an Iowa loss.

 

To get good attendance they should let the teams who don't go to the post-season much host or let teams who weren't expected to make the post-season host.

 

Yeah, I refused to go to SIU's NIT game last year against Oklahoma St.

 

That's an interesting idea, but I'm sure they would want to reward the better teams the home game so the fans can see them play a 'meaningful' game at least one more time.