New postseason tournament created

For those UTEP men's basketball team fans that have lost the faith and believe the team's slide will keep them out of the NCAA tournament, there is hope the team will still play in a postseason tournament.
From the Associated Press:

A new men’s postseason basketball tournament has been scheduled in March by CollegeInsider.com for 16 teams not chosen for the NCAA and NIT tournaments. It announced Monday that the single-elimination tournament will be held at campus sites with teams chosen by a 14-member committee that includes nine former college head coaches. To be eligible, teams must have a winning record against Division I opponents. Priority will be given to schools whose conferences have fewer than half their teams in the NCAA and NIT. CollegeInsider.com said the NCAA and National Association of Basketball Coaches have been consulted and are aware of the tournament guidelines. Another 16-team tournament, the College Basketball Invitational, began last year with Tulsa beating Bradley in the best-of-three championship series.

UTEP lost to Utah in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational last year. It wasn't immediately clear if the Collegeinsider.com tournament would be a pay-to-play tournament.

The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament is a single-elimination tournament, consisting of four rounds, with the first three rounds being played at on-campus sites, which will be determined by seeding. The inaugural championship game will be played at an on-campus site to be determined by seeding.

Former New Mexico State coach Lou Henson and former Arkansas coach and Miner great Nolan Richardson are on the Collegeinsider.com selection committee.

Comments

[Jay Koester]

UTEP into the postseason, baby!

[JJ Walker]

They did that last year and made no effort.

[Ryan G]

Another mediocre tournament for mediocre teams. Way to celebrate mediocrity.

[bobster]

This is like that scene in "meet the fockers" when the dad has his littLe wall of shame for all of gregs 10th place ribbons! This is ridiculous, teams dont even try anymore, because they know that theyll make a cookie cutter lil tournament!!! The Miners not making the ncaa tourney is unnaceptable, they have loads of talent, even the nit would be a dissapoinment at this point!