Which postseason tournament is better?

[BradleyBrave]

Bored on a Sunday night, and as a fan of all college basketball and not just the big tournament, I decided to take a look at all of the teams remaining in postseason play in the other three tournaments to see exactly how they compare quality-wise.

Teams remaining postseason play (Non-NCAA Tournament)

NIT

San Diego St (34)
Creighton (40)
St. Mary's (48 )
Florida (54)
Baylor (56)
Auburn (64)
Davidson (69)
Penn St (70)
Notre Dame (77)
Kentucky (79)

CBI

UTEP (85)
Northeastern (90)
Vermont (97)
Charleston (102)
Stanford (106)
Richmond (129)
Oregon St (154)
Wichita St (158 )

CIT

Bradley (98 )
Old Dominion (103)
Oakland (122)
Belmont (124)
Idaho (135)
James Madison (138 )
Pacific (147)
Liberty (151)

Average RPI of remaining teams

NIT - 73.88
CBI - 115.13
CIT - 127.25

Average record of remaining teams

NIT - 24-10
CBI - 20-13
CIT - 21-13

Clearly, the NIT is the highest quality tournament. The CBI has a few more 'names' than the CIT and a slightly higher RPI, but the bottom of the field really drags the quality of the tournament down to either at or below the level of the CIT. While the CBI has 3 teams with higher RPI's than anyone in the CIT, it also has the two worst records and two worst RPI's (Wichita St and Oregon St respectively) in postseason play. The CBI also I think really hurts their credibilty by granting a 13 win team a bid and a home game. I was hoping that this year a team like BU's first opponent last year (Cincinnati) wouldn't get a bid, but I was wrong.

Overall, the CBI and CIT are pretty much the same tournament, with CBI having a few more names, and the CIT having better records. The CBI would be clearly above the CIT if it subbed out Wichita St and Oregon St and inserted a couple of teams with better records and RPI's. There are plenty of them out there that unfortunately chose to sit at home. Wichita actually looks like they'd fit in better in the CIT, and Oregon St clearly would fit in better on spring break. My hope is that these tournaments can somehow establish themselves and not have to stoop to inviting .500 or sub-.500 teams, or granting them home games. Until the NCAA Tournament expands, there is definitely a place for these tournaments; however overall they're all still second rate compared to the NCAA's.

[TheAsianSensation]

I think eventually the CBI will go exclusively to BCS and higher mid majors, the CIT will attach themselves to the low-majors.


The CBI clearly got the best of the best, and teams like Bradley and ODU chose to be home teams in the CIT instead of road teams in the CBI. This forced the CBI to take a couple lemons, and then decided they were the best markets for home games.



In the end, it looks like the CBI will be superior in the future.

[Da Coach]

teams like Bradley and ODU chose to be home teams in the CIT instead of road teams in the CBI.

Bradley was offered a home game in the CBI, so they would not have been a road team.

I agree with BB's issue with Oregon State.
Oregon State, which was 13-17 for the season (and only 11-17 against D1 teams) can run the table in the CBI, win the championship, and they still cannot have a winning record. That would be a big embarrassment for the CBI.

I will watch with interest when the CBI gets down to it's best 2 out of 3 championship round. Wanna bet it goes the full 3 games? Obviously the tournament profits more if it lasts 3 games, rather than 2. I thought last year, the visiting teams in the first 2 games got screwed big-time by the refs to help make sure it went all 3 games.

[leebiddlecome]

Bradley was offered a home game in the CBI, so they would not have been a road team.

I agree with BB's issue with Oregon State.
Oregon State, which was 13-17 for the season (and only 11-17 against D1 teams) can run the table in the CBI, win the championship, and they still cannot have a winning record. That would be a big embarrassment for the CBI.

I will watch with interest when the CBI gets down to it's best 2 out of 3 championship round. Wanna bet it goes the full 3 games? Obviously the tournament profits more if it lasts 3 games, rather than 2. I thought last year, the visiting teams in the first 2 games got screwed big-time by the refs to help make sure it went all 3 games.

If Oregon State wins it won't be an embarassment for the CBI.

[Bradleyguy10]

Of course it will go 3 games. Last year when the refs screwed it over most people thought we were being silly for saying they wanted to guarantee 3 games. I never understood why people thought that was silly. In my mind if you don't think that is a real possibility then you are naive. If you are running the tournament and if a 3rd game was an option with a higher likelihood of attendance and therefore money would you try to get a 3rd game? Of course you would especially if you are in a corrupt business like college basketball...it's the norm...not a conspiracy. It makes perfect business sense. Now I'm not saying a team can't overcome those referees and win it in two because you obviously have to be discreet about it you can't just hand the first two games to the home teams, but it is definitely "influenced".

[lefty]

Of course it will go 3 games. Last year when the refs screwed it over most people thought we were being silly for saying they wanted to guarantee 3 games. I never understood why people thought that was silly. In my mind if you don't think that is a real possibility then you are naive. If you are running the tournament and if a 3rd game was an option with a higher likelihood of attendance and therefore money would you try to get a 3rd game? Of course you would especially if you are in a corrupt business like college basketball...it's the norm...not a conspiracy. It makes perfect business sense. Now I'm not saying a team can't overcome those referees and win it in two because you obviously have to be discreet about it you can't just hand the first two games to the home teams, but it is definitely "influenced".

Well if that's trues then if I was an AD or coach I would want any part of the CBI.
Going into a tourney knowing that the refs are going to work it to go three games? Might as welll join the WWF

[Da Coach]

Another thing I thought of last year is that by that part of the season, late March/early April, there are only a couple NCAA games leaft, and only the top officials get to work them. So any series like the CBI offers a couple more games for the officials to work. I am not saying that would make them drag the series out an extra game, but it has to be something they think about.

[SFP]

Another thing I thought of last year is that by that part of the season, late March/early April, there are only a couple NCAA games leaft, and only the top officials get to work them. So any series like the CBI offers a couple more games for the officials to work. I am not saying that would make them drag the series out an extra game, but it has to be something they think about.

A few of said that last year. Unless they guarantee the refs an amount regardless but then why not end it at 2 games or if they use different refs for the 3rd game if needed. It would only be human for a ref to want to earn a bit more money if possible.

[Scouter]

Well if that's trues then if I was an AD or coach I would want any part of the CBI.
Going into a tourney knowing that the refs are going to work it to go three games? Might as welll join the WWF

Bud Selig and David Stern should take note as well.

[lefty]

Bud Selig and David Stern should take note as well.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding here. Is there no integrity in sports anymore?

Seems the are plenty of MLB and NBA series that don't go the distance