Illinois State declines postseason offers and ends season

[Da Coach]

There were reports that Illinois State wwas hoping to get an offer to play in the inaugural Vegas 16 tournament, but apparently that did not come. They had already decided to decline a CBI or CIT offer. So their season ends with an 18-14 record.

http://www.goredbirds.com/news/2016/3/14/mens-basketball-illinois-state-declines-postseason-invitations.aspx?path=mbball

[mvcfan]

I believe the offer was there but they are now saying the Vegas tourny will be cancelled.

[Da Coach]

Wow. That would be amazing if so.
The Vegas 16 website still has not been updated in almost 4 weeks, with no mention of the teams in the tournament.

The games are already scheduled to be televised by CBSSports Network-

http://www.vegas16.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/021816aaa.html

Plus they already have rooms blocked off and have the Mandalay Bay arena reserved for the games. And someone at Vega16 headquarters is still tweeting and re-tweeting items that suggest the tournament will go on as scheduled.

https://twitter.com/vegassixteen

Now there are tweets suggesting they may have the Vegas16 tounament, but scale it back to an 8 team tournament-

https://twitter.com/BGMull/status/709417082493005824

Northern Illinois, Boise State, UCSB, Oakland, Towson, ODU, ETSU, and La. Tech are mentioned as teams included.....but no mention of Illinois State.

[Vent]

I believe Illinois State made the right decision.

[tornado]

two MVC teams had great post-season runs last year - Loyola & Evansville - an just maybe the run in the CIT helped Evansville this season..
too bad it isn't gonna happen this year unless they can do it in the NCAA

[Vent]

It might have helped them in the MVC, but it didn't help them get into the NIT or NCAA. If it weren't for the fact they are in the MVC, we wouldn't know or care who won the CBI or CIT last year.

Playing in the CBI or CIT certainly is not a recruiting tool.

[tornado]

Maybe it's just as well....but the ISU fans are gonna hear the bad news sooner or later....although it never seems to be a big issue over there..
one of the ISU seniors & part time starters just got another DUI over the weekend - his 2nd this year at ISU...
and he still has pending court dates from his last run-in, although he never got any suspension for the last DUI - so ya gotta wonder if the really soft discipline caused this to happen again?
Had it been here - woulda been front page news with a column by KW to make sure the kid's repuitation was really smeared like he did sorta pointlessly to Jerrance Howard