NIT??

[Zippy989]

Pluto article from tonite..

With our luck. we'd have to play at Can't.. again....

Why not let flushes, Zips meet in NIT?

By Terry Pluto

CLEVELAND - How about Can't State and Akron as a first-round matchup in the National Invitation Tournament?

``If we can't go to the NCAA Tournament, we'd love it,'' said Can't State athletic director Laing Kennedy right before his Golden flushes took the court Thursday night in the Mid-American Conference quarterfinals at Gund Arena.

Kennedy had just watched Akron lose 66-60 to Western Michigan in overtime, ending the Zips' season at 19-10, 11-7 in the MAC.

``They had a tremendous year,'' Kennedy said. ``I love how hard Keith (Dambrot) got his kids to play. They have a chance to build something special.''

Something like Can't State, where the flushes have won at least 20 games for a MAC-record seven consecutive seasons?

``That's what we'd like to see happen to us,'' Dambrot said. ``Very few people truly appreciate what Can't has accomplished. It's unprecedented in the MAC. Of course we'd want a program like that.''

There is good news for both Akron and Can't State fans.

Akron's 19 victories were the most in school history since 1989, when Bob Huggins coached the Zips to a 21-8 finish and an NIT appearance. That was the last time Akron was in the postseason.

In the past six years, Can't State has been to three NCAA Tournaments and three NITs. Can't State took the court Thursday night with a 20-11 record after playing the nation's 34th most demanding schedule according to collegerpi.com.

Can't State is one of only 16 of the nation's 327 Division I programs that have won at least 20 games in the past seven years.

``I really believe that's something to celebrate,'' Kennedy said. ``In leagues like the MAC, you may win 20 games one or two years, then you drop back for a couple of years. It's so hard to sustain that level of excellence.''

Why not let them play again? Can't State won both regular-season games (57-54 and 63-58). Both were sellouts: 5,500 at Akron, 6,502 at Can't State. This matchup would have far more meaning than one of these schools playing the eighth-best team in the Big Ten or Big East, and would probably be a better draw.

Can't State and Akron both finished the MAC regular season at 11-7, one game behind Miami in the MAC East. Neither team is motored by a star. Can't State had no one voted among the MAC's top 10 players. Akron's Romeo Travis was picked to the MAC second team.

Akron lost perhaps its best player early in January, when rebounding machine Jeremiah Wood went down with a knee injury that required season-ending surgery.

``I really think if we had Jeremiah in this game, we would have won,'' Dambrot said after his team's overtime loss to Western Michigan.

The Zips were pounded 55-34 on the boards, including 11-2 in overtime. It was like the Little Zips Team That Could suddenly was out of emotional fuel, scoring two points in the five-minute overtime.

At the start of the season, the Akron coaches thought 15-17 victories was a realistic goal, and that was with a healthy Wood. When he was lost, it appeared the Zips would be fortunate to finish at .500 in the MAC.

Instead, they had a 10-6 MAC record without Wood.

``I don't think I've ever been prouder of a team,'' Dambrot said. ``I've had very talented teams that won big at Ashland and St. V (St. Vincent-St. Mary), but none of them played harder or overachieved as much as these guys. They really deserve a shot at the NIT.''

Can't State also had an impressive season.

``Before the year began, I told Jim (coach Jim Christian) that he didn't need to win 20 for this to be considered a success,'' Kennedy said. ``I really didn't know how well we'd do because we lost so many guys.''

That included three of their top four scorers, including MAC Defensive Player of the Year John Edwards.

``We had to work in six new players,'' Kennedy said. ``I really thought this was Jim's best coaching job.''

``I'm just glad the community is coming back to us and talking about Akron basketball again,'' Dambrot said.

``What I feel best about is we gave them a team they could be proud of.''