NCAA or NIT

[IlliBraves]

I think we were a 4....I'm with Mac

But anyways, our guys really need to take it one game at a time. I don't think we can lose anymore. It is very possible that we could end up winning this whole darned thing, especially with the way we've played in the last couple of weeks, especially against Creighton and Drake. The one game that worries me a bit is Creighton on the road. It's never easy to get a win in Omaha, and I would expect Creighton will want some revenge after the thrashing we gave them.

[Dubl R 1]

Bradley was a 4 seed last year, with Miss St being the 1 seed. Michigan was the 3 seed, and Florida St the 2 seed in our bracket.

[bugregshu]

MMOB - BU was a 3 seed last year, not a 4 seed. Mississippi St. was a 2 seed, we played them at their place in the 2nd round.

That's wrong. We were definitely a 4 seed, and we beat 5-seed Providence in the 1st round. We lost to 1 seed Mississippi State in the 2nd round.

[TheAsianSensation]

The NIT committee is all sorts of crazy but they can't deny us if we post 11-7 in the MVC on the board.

Forget the NCAAs. We can do just enough to have our bubble burst, nothing more.

[ghunt]

I think last night, barring more losses than wins here on out, made us for the NIT. The relationship and tradition we have there is pretty tight, and we have been there more than once in the last 10 to 20 years with less than 20 wins. Also, I agree we should go with the NIT based on TV and it's reputation.

[squirrel]

Squirel, you would want Bradley to go to the College Basketball Invitational Tournament before the National Invitational Tournament?

Is it cause we got slighted in seeding last year that you want to stay away from NIT, or has NIT slipped so much in prestige that this new CBI tournament looks better.

Does anyone know anything about this CBI Tournament?

I stand corrected on the seeding. But my point still stands.

Mostly the seeding last year irked me. . .the new committee the NIT uses really slighted us IMO, and in the process disrespected probably its most prolific and more important, loyal participants.

I in no way want to jeopardize our relationship with the NIT, however, I think they sent a message to us last year that in spite of our tradition with them, they will favor BCS schools to an extent. We should have been a 1 or 2 last year. Instead we go on the road in the 2nd round, while DePaul (a team we were far superior to) gets a better seed and almost cruises all the way to Madison Square Garden.

If we get an unfavorable seed that puts us on the road in either the first or second round of the NIT, versus home court all the way to the finals in the CBI, in my mind its a no-brainer to take the latter. It would also be a wonderful way for local products Ruffin and Crouch to end their careers in front of their hometown fans.

As for no TV for the CBI, that's merely a luxury. While it was nice to have the 2nd round on ESPN last year, we made serious compromises and likely put ourselves at a disadavantage to get their early for the sake of TV. Also for the CBI, we can make our own TV arrangements versus likely not getting any TV at all.

I'm keeping an open mind about it.

[IlliBraves]

The NIT committee is all sorts of crazy but they can't deny us if we post 11-7 in the MVC on the board.

Forget the NCAAs. We can do just enough to have our bubble burst, nothing more.

Don't count 'em out yet. I mean, an at-large is most likely out of the question, but you've gotta love our chances in St. Louis, considering we just knocked off the top team in the Valley and the 16 best team in the country, as well as absolutely slaughtering Creighton.

[BUBraves2006]

Can someone post a link or just more information about the CBI tournament? My dad follows college basketball almost as heavily as I do and he hadn't even heard of it until I told him yesterday there was a "new" tournament. I'd venture to say that the vast majority of college basketball fans across the country don't know what this tournament is all about ...

[squirrel]

CBI official site:

http://www.gazellegroup.com/cbi/index_splash.htm

They also include a mock bracket for last year.

[BUBraves2006]

Don't count 'em out yet. I mean, an at-large is most likely out of the question, but you've gotta love our chances in St. Louis, considering we just knocked off the top team in the Valley and the 16 best team in the country, as well as absolutely slaughtering Creighton.

Drake isn't the 16th best team in the country. People need to stop thinking that the polls equal how good teams really are. Do you really think Louisville is two spots "worse" than Drake?

[BradleyBrave]

Drake isn't the 16th best team in the country. People need to stop thinking that the polls equal how good teams really are. Do you really think Louisville is two spots "worse" than Drake?

Maybe. Louisville has padded their record against teams like Hartford, Jackson St, Marshall, New Mexico St, Morehead St, Iona, and Rutgers (twice). They also lost at home to a terrible Cincinnati team. It's a slippery slope you're talking about 2006. If we start saying that the numbers don't matter, we're going down the Jay Bilas 'eye test' theory, and we all know how that goes. I think the rankings are somewhat biased, but I think over the course of 30 games or so they do mean a little bit.

[ph]

Drake isn't the 16th best team in the country. People need to stop thinking that the polls equal how good teams really are. Do you really think Louisville is two spots "worse" than Drake?

I was very impressed with Drake last night. Their ranking is legit.

In the most simpleman's sense, This year's Drake = Last year's VCU. It is just VCU did not get major props unitl they proved it in the NCAA's.

Like VCU, Drake will do very well vs. any team that either relies on athleticism instead of solid skill, or any team that is somewhat weak taking care of the ball.

[real fan]

The thing that bothers me the most is we would not be having this conversation if Ruffin had played at home against N.Iowa,Wichita St. and Drake as I believe we would have won those games which in turn would put us at 19-9.

[IlliBraves]

Drake isn't the 16th best team in the country. People need to stop thinking that the polls equal how good teams really are. Do you really think Louisville is two spots "worse" than Drake?

Well obviously not, I am a big fan of the Cards, and I think they are way underrated. But Drake is still a top 25 team. Let's say that Drake didn't lose to SIU, then you'd probably see them as the 16th best team. But they did. I still think Drake is among the best teams in the country. Top 25 at least. Plus, they have a very high RPI, can't argue there.

[SFP]

I'm not going to worry about which other Tourney we go to until after St. Louis. We have as good as a chance as anyone else to win it and head to the Big Dance. With the CBI we'll have a post season regardless and this will be valuable time for JL and coaches to evaluate and teach next year players.