"Absolute tragedy" if ISU misses NIT

[Bravesfan]

Texas Arlington joins this list too. Mississippi Valley State, Akron, Nevada, and Stony Brook could also join it with losses over the next couple days. If Washington misses the NCAA's, they are an automatic qualifier as well. Same with Long Beach State if they lose in the next couple days.

Never thought I would ever hear Washington and automatic NIT qualifer in the same sentence regarding a first place Pac-12 team!

[PTownHawkeye]

According to NIT-ology, the Birds aren't even close...13 teams ahead of them, and about to fall off the NIT bubble thanks to the additional poachers who likely will be added this weekend. I appreciate ISU's run in the Valley tourney, but truth is they are a .500 team in the 9th best conference with a terrible non con schedule and zero marquee wins until the Wichita game.

I also don't think Iowa is deserving, but they were 8-10 in the best conference and has 4 wins vs the RPI top 20, and apparently that carries a lot of weight.

[Da Coach]

Here is the NITology site-

http://nitology.com/

Jank better get ready for an "absolute tragedy". The Redbirds are now projected out of the NIT with 14 teams ahead of them on the bubble and on the outside. Northern Iowa is projected as safely in the NIT and is a 5 seed, meaning they will be a road team. Their bracket projects them playing at 4 seed new Mexico State-

http://nitology.com/bracket030912.html

[TheAsianSensation]

I'll be a bit surprised if the NIT takes UNI over ISU.

[TheAsianSensation]

ISU's games of interest today, bolded teams are teams to root for

Stony Brook v Vermont
??Akron v Ohio (Ohio is a NIT bubble team so it's tough to say if this game matters or not)
Mississippi Valley St v Texas Southern
Long Beach St v UC-Santa Barbara
New Mexico St v Louisiana Tech

[Da Coach]

I'll be a bit surprised if the NIT takes UNI over ISU.

RPI and SOS do get strong consideration. When the NIT committee looks at these numbers, it is not even close--
........RPI....SOS...non-con SOS...non-con RPI ...vs top 25...vs top 50
UNI....72.....53.........14.................17.... .............2-3.............3-5
ISU...105....113.......277................134..... ...........1-5.............1-5

[Da Coach]

With a little digging, I found one other site that tracks potential NIT bids, and it is slightly more encouraging for ISU, but not much-

http://www.bankrollsports.com/blog/nit-bracketology/

BankrollSoprts.com lists their NIT teams and seeds, and does show ISU as a #7 seed.
However, lower in the article when they discuss the potential teams from each conference, under the MVC they say ISU and UNI are actually bubble teams, and are currently out-

Missouri Valley Conference
Likely NIT Bound Right Now: None
NIT Bubble: Illinois State Redbirds, Northern Iowa Panthers
We have to issue our apologies to Illinois State, as there just aren??™t enough bids to keep it in good shape for the NIT at this point. There are too many other teams that are dropping into this tournament out of the NCAAs, and there are too many bids being taken away as well. We hope that the Redbirds get in out of the Valley, but if they don??™t, Northern Iowa stands no chance either.

[Tulsa Brave]

I have UNI 7 spots ahead of ISU in my matrix as of this morning. Not sure either are going to make the cut though. Stony Brook just took another spot from someone by losing to Vermont.

[TheAsianSensation]

RPI and SOS do get strong consideration. When the NIT committee looks at these numbers, it is not even close--
........RPI....SOS...non-con SOS...non-con RPI ...vs top 25...vs top 50
UNI....72.....53.........14.................17.... .............2-3.............3-5
ISU...105....113.......277................134..... ...........1-5.............1-5

I think the NIT committee may even be more archaic and focus on the fact that ISU looked good on national TV and won 2 of 3 from UNI. A ridiculously simplistic view, but the type of thing the NIT does, because they're corrupt

[shaunguth]

I think the NIT committee may even be more archaic and focus on the fact that ISU looked good on national TV and won 2 of 3 from UNI. A ridiculously simplistic view, but the type of thing the NIT does, because they're corrupt

They may also see that UNI lost to Bradley and isu did not. I kid.....but it's true.

[real fan]

If ISU does not make it their strength of non conference schedule will be the main reason, even if they make it they will get shipped out to a very tough place to win and they are not a good road team.

[Bravesfan]

I think the NIT committee may even be more archaic and focus on the fact that ISU looked good on national TV and won 2 of 3 from UNI. A ridiculously simplistic view, but the type of thing the NIT does, because they're corrupt

I'm thinking the same thing TAS. However, if a great conference run can help elevate a team into NIT territory, then UNI's great non-conference season should count for something as well. I think the committee can make great arguments for both teams making the NIT. I'm just not sure if there's room for both, or even just one of those teams. But I do agree that ISU's late surge could be used as a deciding factor. It will probably come down to a team's entire body of work versus who had the hotter hand as of late.

[Bravesfan]

With a little digging, I found one other site that tracks potential NIT bids, and it is slightly more encouraging for ISU, but not much-

http://www.bankrollsports.com/blog/nit-bracketology/

BankrollSoprts.com lists their NIT teams and seeds, and does show ISU as a #7 seed.
However, lower in the article when they discuss the potential teams from each conference, under the MVC they say ISU and UNI are actually bubble teams, and are currently out-

Missouri Valley Conference
Likely NIT Bound Right Now: None
NIT Bubble: Illinois State Redbirds, Northern Iowa Panthers
We have to issue our apologies to Illinois State, as there just aren??™t enough bids to keep it in good shape for the NIT at this point. There are too many other teams that are dropping into this tournament out of the NCAAs, and there are too many bids being taken away as well. We hope that the Redbirds get in out of the Valley, but if they don??™t, Northern Iowa stands no chance either.

I noticed this website does not even have Illinois as an NIT bubble team. Ouch!

[TheAsianSensation]

I'm thinking the same thing TAS. However, if a great conference run can help elevate a team into NIT territory, then UNI's great non-conference season should count for something as well. I think the committee can make great arguments for both teams making the NIT. I'm just not sure if there's room for both, or even just one of those teams. But I do agree that ISU's late surge could be used as a deciding factor. It will probably come down to a team's entire body of work versus who had the hotter hand as of late.

I'm not sure how great UNI's non con actually ended up

9-3
Quality wins: @Iowa St is true quality. Iowa...Old Dominion...Milwaukee. Solid but not boosting.
Losses: VCU, St Mary's, Ohio

They beat the 2nd toughest opponent there and lost to 1, 3, and 4.

Of course, on the other hand ISU's signature non-con win was Norfolk State.

[Bravesfan]

I'm not sure how great UNI's non con actually ended up

9-3
Quality wins: @Iowa St is true quality. Iowa...Old Dominion...Milwaukee. Solid but not boosting.
Losses: VCU, St Mary's, Ohio

They beat the 2nd toughest opponent there and lost to 1, 3, and 4.

Of course, on the other hand ISU's signature non-con win was Norfolk State.

Yeah. That turned out to be a great win for ISU!

Maybe next year they can get Lamar onto their schedule!