NIT Reality Check

[Dave in Green]

Here's a little reality check for anyone who thinks the NIT might invite more than one MAC team. NIT-ology.com currently projects that there will be no MAC teams, as in NONE, ZERO.How could that happen? They obviously believe that Can't will win both the MAC regular season and tournament championships, go to the NCAA tournament, and leave the MAC without its automatic NIT bid.So what about the Zips? They are listed along with Buffalo in a list of 32 teams that do not make the cut.This means the Zips must win Friday or there is no NIT bid, and we already know that unless the Zips win the MAC tournament there is no NCAA bid.There's just no substitute for winning.NIT-ology.com

[Captain Kangaroo]

Here's a little reality check for anyone who thinks the NIT might invite more than one MAC team. NIT-ology.com currently projects that there will be no MAC teams, as in NONE, ZERO.How could that happen? They obviously believe that Can't will win both the MAC regular season and tournament championships, go to the NCAA tournament, and leave the MAC without its automatic NIT bid.So what about the Zips? They are listed along with Buffalo in a list of 32 teams that do not make the cut.This means the Zips must win Friday or there is no NIT bid, and we already know that unless the Zips win the MAC tournament there is no NCAA bid.There's just no substitute for winning.NIT-ology.com

If we got swept by K.e.n.t. (0-3), with our poor 2009-10 OOC performance, who could blame the NIT for shunning us? "The #2 Team in the MAC" doesn't carry much weight in the big picture of NCAA Division 1 Basketball.Late season, 17-point losses to teams like VCU don't impress selection committees.Win on Friday. Losing is not an option.

[skip-zip]

Good points, but remember that our NIT fortunes have been a little unpredictable in the past. Our 26-win 2007 team didn't get a bid, but the team before and after that year DID get a bid. I wouldn't be surprised if someone wants to see the MAC regular season champ also win the tournament so that a spot can remain open for some "name" team that has a crummy record.

[Quickzips]

NIT reality check, nobody cares about the NIT. It is a secondary tournament. A consilation prize (and not much of one) for those teams that get left out of the NCAA's. It draws little to no national media attention and is really only good for giving young teams another week or two of practice and playing time together before a long offseason. This team shouldn't be focused at all on the NIT's. NCAA's or bust.

[Captain Kangaroo]

NIT reality check, nobody cares about the NIT. It is a secondary tournament. A consilation prize (and not much of one) for those teams that get left out of the NCAA's. It draws little to no national media attention and is really only good for giving young teams another week or two of practice and playing time together before a long offseason. This team shouldn't be focused at all on the NIT's. NCAA's or bust.

If you are a mid-major, the NIT is very important.Ask Travis or Joyce how they feel about not getting a chance at the post season a few years ago. It still eats at them.Ask Dambrot if he would like to compete in the NIT over sitting at home. I'm guessing he'd take the NIT.Do you think it would help a kid like Zeke to play a post-season game against someone like Cincinnati or Dayton, or would it be better to sit at home? I'm guessing post-season experience would be an asset to him.Two of Dambrot's best wins, the one's that "Basketball Guy" covets so much, are Temple and Florida State. If we don't play in the NIT, we don't have them.K.e.n.t. used their NIT success to catapult them to their NCAA run. For a program like Akron, the NIT is a great way to get tourney experience against solid competition. And, the way the Zips arrange their OOC schedule, one of the only chances to get a marquee win."Take it to the Extreme Guy" will point out the blatantly obvious and say - "No one cares about the NIT. Joe Akron/Hoops fans only care about the NCAA Tourney."Duh. No one argues that point.The NIT is VERY important for a mid-major program for all the reasons listed above. Having a 25-win season, and no post season, again, would be crippling.

[zipseuph]

NIT reality check, nobody cares about the NIT. It is a secondary tournament. A consilation prize (and not much of one) for those teams that get left out of the NCAA's. It draws little to no national media attention and is really only good for giving young teams another week or two of practice and playing time together before a long offseason. This team shouldn't be focused at all on the NIT's. NCAA's or bust.

while I agree with "NCAA or bust" I must say that if we don't make the big dance then I would want to go to the NIT. get our young guys some more game time and give our seniors a couple more games. of course I hope this isn't an issue and we are tieing up our damcing shoes in 13 days

[Dave in Green]

Why the NIT is not unimportant:ZN Post

[Zip Watcher]

NIT reality check, nobody cares about the NIT. It is a secondary tournament. A consilation prize (and not much of one) for those teams that get left out of the NCAA's. It draws little to no national media attention and is really only good for giving young teams another week or two of practice and playing time together before a long offseason. This team shouldn't be focused at all on the NIT's. NCAA's or bust.

If you are a mid-major, the NIT is very important.Ask Travis or Joyce how they feel about not getting a chance at the post season a few years ago. It still eats at them.Ask Dambrot if he would like to compete in the NIT over sitting at home. I'm guessing he'd take the NIT.Do you think it would help a kid like Zeke to play a post-season game against someone like Cincinnati or Dayton, or would it be better to sit at home? I'm guessing post-season experience would be an asset to him.Two of Dambrot's best wins, the one's that "Basketball Guy" covets so much, are Temple and Florida State. If we don't play in the NIT, we don't have them.K.e.n.t. used their NIT success to catapult them to their NCAA run. For a program like Akron, the NIT is a great way to get tourney experience against solid competition. And, the way the Zips arrange their OOC schedule, one of the only chances to get a marquee win."Take it to the Extreme Guy" will point out the blatantly obvious and say - "No one cares about the NIT. Joe Akron/Hoops fans only care about the NCAA Tourney."Duh. No one argues that point.The NIT is VERY important for a mid-major program for all the reasons listed above. Having a 25-win season, and no post season, again, would be crippling.

+10

[GoZips]

I'm going to commit heresy here.First priority is winning the MAC tournament and getting invited to the big dance.What if we come up short? Options, options, options.Get an NIT bid. Best bet ... Beat CANT Friday night. Back up; lose the MAC championship game.Other than that ... its a crap shoot.Frankly, even a CBI invite needs to be looked upon favorably. The kids have earned a postseason bid somewhere. It is a well known fact that the NIT is now a part of the NCAA (thestench of the restraint of trade lingers heavily in the air). The CBI is independent of theover bearing and contentious NCAA (see the Akron men's soccer program for details).I am not going to pound my head against a brick wall if the Zips end up in CBI. It still beatsthe hell out of sitting at home (see 26-7 season and no invite).Beat CANT; if necessary ... twice

[Quickzips]

Some of you need to go back and re-read the part of my post that said

really only good for giving young teams another week or two of practice and playing time together before a long offseason.

As far as invitations to preseason tournaments and all that. I am unable to find any rule officially giving the NIT champion a spot in next years preseason tournament. However neither of the 2009 NIT finalists (Baylor and Penn State) went to this years preseason tournament. In fact, none of the four semi-finalists (Notre Dame and San Diego State) appeared in this seasons tournament. I find it hard to believe that all 4 of these teams would turn down the chance to play in the preseason tipoff. Look, I'm not saying the NIT hasn't been beneficial to the Zips in the past. And I am not going to completely write off this team if we don't make the NCAAs. Am I going to watch if we go to the NIT instead? Probably. But I'm not going to be into it the way I would be the NCAAs. There isn't much of anything to get excited about. The Zips have been there, they've won there. I suppose getting to the semifinals or the championship game would be a little more exciting, but I honestly don't think it would even hold a candle to another NCAA berth. Don't even get me started on the CBI.

[Let'sGoZips94]

NIT reality check, nobody cares about the NIT. It is a secondary tournament. A consilation prize (and not much of one) for those teams that get left out of the NCAA's. It draws little to no national media attention and is really only good for giving young teams another week or two of practice and playing time together before a long offseason. This team shouldn't be focused at all on the NIT's. NCAA's or bust.

If you are a mid-major, the NIT is very important.Ask Travis or Joyce how they feel about not getting a chance at the post season a few years ago. It still eats at them.Ask Dambrot if he would like to compete in the NIT over sitting at home. I'm guessing he'd take the NIT.Do you think it would help a kid like Zeke to play a post-season game against someone like Cincinnati or Dayton, or would it be better to sit at home? I'm guessing post-season experience would be an asset to him.Two of Dambrot's best wins, the one's that "Basketball Guy" covets so much, are Temple and Florida State. If we don't play in the NIT, we don't have them.K.e.n.t. used their NIT success to catapult them to their NCAA run. For a program like Akron, the NIT is a great way to get tourney experience against solid competition. And, the way the Zips arrange their OOC schedule, one of the only chances to get a marquee win."Take it to the Extreme Guy" will point out the blatantly obvious and say - "No one cares about the NIT. Joe Akron/Hoops fans only care about the NCAA Tourney."Duh. No one argues that point.The NIT is VERY important for a mid-major program for all the reasons listed above. Having a 25-win season, and no post season, again, would be crippling.

+1

[Zipmeister]

Some of you need to go back and re-read the part of my post that said

really only good for giving young teams another week or two of practice and playing time together before a long offseason.

As far as invitations to preseason tournaments and all that. I am unable to find any rule officially giving the NIT champion a spot in next years preseason tournament. However neither of the 2009 NIT finalists (Baylor and Penn State) went to this years preseason tournament. In fact, none of the four semi-finalists (Notre Dame and San Diego State) appeared in this seasons tournament. I find it hard to believe that all 4 of these teams would turn down the chance to play in the preseason tipoff. Look, I'm not saying the NIT hasn't been beneficial to the Zips in the past. And I am not going to completely write off this team if we don't make the NCAAs. Am I going to watch if we go to the NIT instead? Probably. But I'm not going to be into it the way I would be the NCAAs. There isn't much of anything to get excited about. The Zips have been there, they've won there. I suppose getting to the semifinals or the championship game would be a little more exciting, but I honestly don't think it would even hold a candle to another NCAA berth. Don't even get me started on the CBI.

I believe with the appropriate amount of cash for the entry fee, the loser of Friday's game is a shoe in for the CBI.

[Z.I.P.]

Some of you need to go back and re-read the part of my post that said

really only good for giving young teams another week or two of practice and playing time together before a long offseason.

As far as invitations to preseason tournaments and all that. I am unable to find any rule officially giving the NIT champion a spot in next years preseason tournament. However neither of the 2009 NIT finalists (Baylor and Penn State) went to this years preseason tournament. In fact, none of the four semi-finalists (Notre Dame and San Diego State) appeared in this seasons tournament. I find it hard to believe that all 4 of these teams would turn down the chance to play in the preseason tipoff. Look, I'm not saying the NIT hasn't been beneficial to the Zips in the past. And I am not going to completely write off this team if we don't make the NCAAs. Am I going to watch if we go to the NIT instead? Probably. But I'm not going to be into it the way I would be the NCAAs. There isn't much of anything to get excited about. The Zips have been there, they've won there. I suppose getting to the semifinals or the championship game would be a little more exciting, but I honestly don't think it would even hold a candle to another NCAA berth. Don't even get me started on the CBI.

I believe with the appropriate amount of cash for the entry fee, the loser of Friday's game is a shoe in for the CBI.

Well then, allow me to be the first to say, "CONGRATULATIONS GOLDEN FLUSHES!"

[akronzips71]

I am really troubled by some of what I read here.The NIT used to be the biggie. The stuff of Bill Bradley. Today it is not. SO WHAT!!!!!To distain an NIT bid for a team like AKRON is just stupid.We ARE NOT a high major.We are really NOT a high mid-major.We are blessed (?) this year to play in an awful league. The MAC West is the doormat for the East. And we have taken full advantage of that fact, bringing in a GREAT conference season!In fact, K-ENT loses just one more game and we don't necessarily even need to win Friday! Too many of you seem to forget that the NIT changed the rules after the Travis-Joyce snub to give an auto bid to a conference winner. After a controversy that made it all the way to the New York Times (Dambrots association with Lebron helped get it there for sure).So how many teams get to the dance? 64 plus the play ins?How many to the NIT?That's all folks, basically everyone else goes home. Play hard, beat K-ENT and put the NIT bid in your pocket. If you win the tourney, GREAT, on to one and done in the big Dance.Personally, I would be GLAD to see the Zips in the NIT again. It is still a feather in their cap to get there. And remember, this is NOT a great team. It's a good team, in a conference where 1/2 the conference had a horrible year. The opportunity to play for the conference championship may not come again for a long time. Seize the opportunityGO ZIPS

[RowdyZip]

I am really troubled by some of what I read here.The NIT used to be the biggie. The stuff of Bill Bradley. Today it is not. SO WHAT!!!!!To distain an NIT bid for a team like AKRON is just stupid.We ARE NOT a high major.We are really NOT a high mid-major.We are blessed (?) this year to play in an awful league. The MAC West is the doormat for the East. And we have taken full advantage of that fact, bringing in a GREAT conference season!In fact, K-ENT loses just one more game and we don't necessarily even need to win Friday! Too many of you seem to forget that the NIT changed the rules after the Travis-Joyce snub to give an auto bid to a conference winner. After a controversy that made it all the way to the New York Times (Dambrots association with Lebron helped get it there for sure).So how many teams get to the dance? 64 plus the play ins?How many to the NIT?That's all folks, basically everyone else goes home. Play hard, beat K-ENT and put the NIT bid in your pocket. If you win the tourney, GREAT, on to one and done in the big Dance.Personally, I would be GLAD to see the Zips in the NIT again. It is still a feather in their cap to get there. And remember, this is NOT a great team. It's a good team, in a conference where 1/2 the conference had a horrible year. The opportunity to play for the conference championship may not come again for a long time. Seize the opportunityGO ZIPS

It's funny how some folks are turning their noses up at a potential to clinch a berth to the NIT. Are these the same folks that complain that Dambrot hasn't "grown" the program enough? You want POST SEASON for your guys. Sure, you're nuts if you want the NIT berth more than the tournament championship and bid to the Big Dance, but really? You'd want to pass an opportunity to beat up a mediocre "big boy"? And it's right, this team is not GREAT but they are quite good. Can you tell me that if they Zips put up a solid 40 minutes of their best play that they couldn't pull a first round upset? If so, I don't want you to be a fan of my team. They've given us plenty of reason for optimism, plenty of reason to expect a MAC regular season and tournament Championship, and most of all a reason to be proud of our school.

[infofan]

For those of you simple minded people masquerading as zips fans who look down at the NIT I say to get real!! All year long we see the same rhetoric on here day after day- play a tougher schedule, drop malone and st Francis, dambrots flat lined- no improvement. Tougher schedule wouldnt have helped our record. Well I for one welcome post season play- year after year in any event, NCAA, NIT, CBI, whatever. How quickly you forget the feeling of losing to central Mich and Can't in MAC 1st round and Miami in final- or pretty much any year in the 90s or pre KD, where the term sudden death hits home. A lot of programs would love to have the "problem" of playing in a non NCAA post season tournament.It can be argued that the NCAA is 1 and done for a team like us ( probably a 13, 14 seed playing 3000 miles away) IF we made it. Yet the CBI and NIT offer the potential for 4 or 5 winnable games against good name- recognized teams and yes- potential national TV. Of course we all prefer the big dance but IMHO the NIT is still a reward not a penalty. It would be invaluable for zeke and others to continue the season and taste success.

[Quickzips]

Wow, I simply state that I'm not excited about the idea of an NIT berth because it doesn't carry near the excitement and attention that an NCAA bid does (something I think all of you would agree with) and now I am "stupid" and a "simple minded [person] masquerading as a zips fan."Like I said before, if the Zips are in the NIT's, fine, I'll probably watch. I may even try and go to the game if we can draw a close travel distance. Am I going to be excited about it? Not really. Am I going to feel like this program is really growing and taking a step forward? No. Am I going to go around the office bragging about the Zips big NIT game, or puffing out my chest if they win a game or two? Probably not.I understand and appreciate that the NIT is a post-season tournament, and that for a long time the Zips didn't have a snowballs chance in you know where of getting to one, but some of you are significantly overvaluing it. It isn't like playing in the NIT is going to give us a lot of big matchups against top programs, all the top programs are playing in the NCAA's. Penn State and Baylor were last seasons championship game. I know they are both from "power" conferences, but this isn't like playing Michigan State and Kansas here. It isn't even like playing Ohio State and Kansas State. I also don't see the Zips making a run at winning that thing either. They are just too inconsistent right now to make a deep run in the tournament. As I stated before, there is nothing that says a deep run in the NIT leads to any kind of invite to the preseason tournament, and this isn't the bracketbuster where the teams we play in the NIT owe us a game next year too. All the NIT really does for us is give us a week or two more to practice and play together before the offseason. Don't get me wrong, that is pretty significant, especially for a team that will have a lot of returning players next year, but there really isn't a lot of benefit too it outside of that.

[GoZips]

There are twelve teams in this conference (the obvious). Now ask yourself this simple question.Two, perhaps three teams from the MAC will be in any sort of post season play. Do you really stickyour nose up at playing in the NIT or even the CBI?That's pretty arrogant. Say, did your hundred grand donation check to Zips Athletics clear the bank?

[GoZips]

It's funny how some folks are turning their noses up at a potential to clinch a berth to the NIT. Are these the same folks that complain that Dambrot hasn't "grown" the program enough? You want POST SEASON for your guys. Sure, you're nuts if you want the NIT berth more than the tournament championship and bid to the Big Dance, but really? You'd want to pass an opportunity to beat up a mediocre "big boy"? And it's right, this team is not GREAT but they are quite good. Can you tell me that if they Zips put up a solid 40 minutes of their best play that they couldn't pull a first round upset? If so, I don't want you to be a fan of my team. They've given us plenty of reason for optimism, plenty of reason to expect a MAC regular season and tournament Championship, and most of all a reason to be proud of our school.

Some good points here.Are we forgetting that nine of the ten kids that gave the mighty Gonzaga fits for thirty-two minutesare still wearing the Zips uniform? This team can excel and do plenty of damage.Start by way laying CANT Friday night on national TV.

[Quickzips]

There are twelve teams in this conference (the obvious). Now ask yourself this simple question.Two, perhaps three teams from the MAC will be in any sort of post season play. Do you really stickyour nose up at playing in the NIT or even the CBI?That's pretty arrogant. Say, did your hundred grand donation check to Zips Athletics clear the bank?

Let me make this absolutely clear. I am not saying I wouldn't accept an NIT bid. Let me repeat that so that it gets through to those of you who don't seem to get this. I AM NOT SAYING THAT I WOULDN'T ACCEPT AN NIT BID. All I am saying is that I don't hold the NIT in the high regards that apparently everyone else on this board does. It isn't a tournament that excites me, and I don't think I would be the only one. It also isn't a tournament that does that much to advance this program.You can now go back to twisting my words around to make them fit whatever you want to hear.

[RootforRoo44]

There are twelve teams in this conference (the obvious). Now ask yourself this simple question.Two, perhaps three teams from the MAC will be in any sort of post season play. Do you really stickyour nose up at playing in the NIT or even the CBI?That's pretty arrogant. Say, did your hundred grand donation check to Zips Athletics clear the bank?

Let me make this absolutely clear. I am not saying I wouldn't accept an NIT bid. Let me repeat that so that it gets through to those of you who don't seem to get this. I AM NOT SAYING THAT I WOULDN'T ACCEPT AN NIT BID. All I am saying is that I don't hold the NIT in the high regards that apparently everyone else on this board does. It isn't a tournament that excites me, and I don't think I would be the only one. It also isn't a tournament that does that much to advance this program.You can now go back to twisting my words around to make them fit whatever you want to hear.

You are the only one. The NIT means alot. Considering we are a one bid conference, it should be still seen as an accomplishment to make the NIT. Let's be real here, winning 3 straight games is going to be tough. We all saw what happened 2 out of the last 3 years, it's not easy.

[Quickzips]

Can we get a poll going here as to how many people are honestly just as excited about the prospects of an NIT bid as they are an NCAA bid?

[akronzips71]

Can we get a poll going here as to how many people are honestly just as excited about the prospects of an NIT bid as they are an NCAA bid?

I will be absolutely thrilled at a victory Friday nite and an NIT bid in hand.Instead of crying about a bid to the "inferior" tournament, lets concentrate on WINNING a tournament.

[akronad]

For me, I want to go to the dance. But, if for some reason we don't make it, the NIT will be a great stage for the Zips. For those that are pushing aside the NIT, we just have to go back a few seasons when the Zips were banked out of the NCAA by Miami. We all thought, OK, but we will get an NIT bid. Well we didn't. Tell me, how did you feel that day knowing that the Zips, a good team, were not going to play in any post season tournament? It was like a punch in the stomach to be and still sits in my craw, since I still think that we got hosed royally.So let's hoped for the best, but if we don't run the table in Cleveland next week , we can still play in the NIT. BUT, it all starts with Friday night.

GO ZIPS

[Captain Kangaroo]

On the NIT: ...but this isn't like playing Michigan State and Kansas here. It isn't even like playing Ohio State

We played Ohio State in the NIT in 1988.It was a very tight game. OSU had Treg Lee, Chris Jent and I believe Jay Burson? The Zips Eric McLaughlin blew out his knee late, and we couldn't recover.Instead of OSU, we would stand a very good chance of playing Dayton or Cincinnati should we end up in the the 2010 NIT.If your point is only that you'd rather be in the NCAA tourney than the NIT...or that participating in the NCAA tourney is more exciting than the NIT...why bother posting it? Who wouldn't rather be in the NCAA over the NIT? No one.