College basketball website projects Bradley as a CBI team

[Da Coach]

This website follows college basketball, especially midmajor basketball.
Here is their "bracketology" prediction for the 2018 CIT abd CBI postseason tournaments.

https://happeninghoops.com/2018/02/09/cit-and-cbi-bracketology-4-2-9-18/

They have Bradley listed as a CBI team.
Obviously, such a bracketology prediction for the CIT or CBI Tournaments is entirely guesswork, since invitations are based on many other things beside defined merit factors like record or RPI.

[tornado]

I have been told by more than one source that there is an agreement among MVC teams to decline participation in the CBI and other newbie tournies.
I know of no official confirmation of such but I wouldn't be surprised if no MVC does such again this year. I believe the last time an MVC team did was 2015.

[Da Coach]

A reliable source tells me that although there is no official policy or agreement barring an MVC team from playing in the CBI, CIT, or Vegas tournament, it is generally frowned upon.
The MVC is a 1-bid league this year, and Loyola may be the only clear NIT team if they don't get the auto bid, with ISU a possibility.

But I do believe we will see an MVC in one of those other tournaments again, possibly this year.

[Braves2006]

BW stated quite adamantly on Voice of the Braves show a few weeks ago that ???there are only 2 tournaments...and you won??™t catch my program in any of those other ones.???

[MDCowboy]

Thanks for the info Da Coach.... the problem is that I understand what the MVC is trying to do, however the NIT is not the same as it was before in the 90's and early 00's. Bids go to the regular season champs in smaller leagues. Those never used to exist and they never got bids before. The power conference teams still get their same amount of bids to the NIT. The bids that have gone away are bids to conferences like the MVC, A-10, Mountain West, etc.

So this year if Loyola wins the MVC Tourney, then NO MVC team will get invited to the NIT. I personally think some schools should be able to play in the CBI and/or CIT. It would be extra games and extra practices. What it the harm in going for a young team? I would NOT be in favor of a team settling for this tourney if they have mostly seniors. But for BU specifically, it would be a good tournament to go to at this stage of the rebuild.

I might add that I think Loyola greatly benefitted 2 years ago when they played in and won the CBI. Evansville won the CIT as well and that actually helped their program also.

I understand the MVC doesn't want to get labeled as a "mid major" league or that their teams would be open to this type of tourney, BUT - unless the NIT changes their policies - the MVC may turn into a 1 or 2 teams in postseason only every year. I hope like they do that MVC will get 3 to 5 teams in the NCAA/NIT, but it is going to be difficult to do so.

Bottom line - the power conferences control things more now than they used to. For NCAA bids and more recently for NIT bids as well.

[tornado]

BW stated quite adamantly on Voice of the Braves show a few weeks ago that ???there are only 2 tournaments...and you won??™t catch my program in any of those other ones.???

Yes, he stated that pretty emphatically at Alexander's Steakhouse

[Da Coach]

...
I personally think some schools should be able to play in the CBI and/or CIT. It would be extra games and extra practices. What it the harm in going for a young team? I would NOT be in favor of a team settling for this tourney if they have mostly seniors. But for BU specifically, it would be a good tournament to go to at this stage of the rebuild.

I agree with this sentiment. Nobody should confuse the CBI or CIT with the NCAA or even the less prestigous NIT. They are not championship tournaments that mean much. But if you think of them like an early season tournament like the Puerto Rico Tipoff, or the Gildan Classic, then I believe teams can benefit from them like you said, and they do have some meaning to fans.

[houstonbrave]

I guess I don't understand the downside of playing in one of these tournaments other than cost. If the reason is the cost involved from guarantees etc is too great I understand based on the financial issues the university has faced in the last few years. Other than that it gives the team more practice and game time to improve against decent (not great but decent) teams. It also gives the fans something to cheer about and we have not had much over the last 8 years....

[wily coyote]

I guess I don't understand the downside of playing in one of these tournaments other than cost. If the reason is the cost involved from guarantees etc is too great I understand based on the financial issues the university has faced in the last few years. Other than that it gives the team more practice and game time to improve against decent (not great but decent) teams. It also gives the fans something to cheer about and we have not had much over the last 8 years....

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Cost is the driver for the MVC. With everyone's attendance figures down so low the possibility of losing money in a time where most Valley schools are in a pinch probably is the main reason for no ABC Tourneys.

[MDCowboy]

I disagree. Money can be a factor, but the bigger factor is the MVC telling its teams not to play in this to be further branded as a lower division conference. Way back, the big conference teams got into the CBI and the coaches liked it as it meant more practices and development time for young teams.

That and I think there was a big negative reaction to BU's 2 consecutive CBI, then CIT finals. Nobody should have thought of those as "good" years. However, it can help a young team develop.

I think it is a big mistake to turn down an invitation to one of those tournaments. Yes it costs to participate, but that is an investment in player and team development for this year. Now if we continually stay around this level, then no - I am not for participating in these tourneys.

But everyone needs to realize that making the NIT is MUCH harder than it was in the 90's and early 2000's. The NCAA changed the way the NIT is picked.

[tornado]

but what do you figure is the total Bradley would have to pay to go 2 or 3 games deep into the CBI or CIT- especially if we host 1 or 2...
it would cost us possibly $70-80K

When we did it back in 2008 & 2009 we drew 6,000 to 9,000 fans and likely made it profitable...
but when we did it in 2013 under Mike Cross - we only drew 1800!!!!!! We are probably still trying to dig out of debt from that ignorant move..

[Da Coach]

This website follows college basketball, especially midmajor basketball.
Here is their "bracketology" prediction for the 2018 CIT abd CBI postseason tournaments.

https://happeninghoops.com/2018/02/09/cit-and-cbi-bracketology-4-2-9-18/

They have Bradley listed as a CBI team.
Obviously, such a bracketology prediction for the CIT or CBI Tournaments is entirely guesswork, since invitations are based on many other things beside defined merit factors like record or RPI.

This same website that does bracketology predictions for the CBI and CIT postseason tournaments now no longer lists Bradley in their latest article-

https://happeninghoops.com/2018/02/25/cit-and-cbi-bracketology-5-2-25-18/

They do project Drake and Evansville as CIT teams.
Obviously, there is a rather high uncertainty/inaccuracy factor in projecting the CIT and CBI.