Early blog on what the NIT historically considers when filling it's field (tonight):
Look for the selectors to set up the teams it wants to meet in the final four in Madison Square Garden. Ticket sales means more than who deserves an invitation. Look for the big-four names, one in each bracket. An Michigan State? A decent team out of the East? Colorado didn't get into the NCAA. Alabama? Just guessing here, not predicting.
Look for first-round games at a home site that WILL sell tickets. This is UTEP's best chance. UTEP will sell at least 8,000 tickets because the fans have fallen in love with Randy Culpepper, et al.
The NIT has been known as a East Coast-focused, snooty tournament. And here's an old example:
Remember when UTEP beat Houston in El Paso, and Georgetown won farther West in first-round games. It was some years ago, but:
It would have made sense to pit UTEP vs. G'Town in a second round game in El Paso, for travel-cost reasons. G'Town and and legendary Coach John Thompson were already almost here. Easy, less-expensive flight.
No! The NIT pitted UTEP-Georgetown, all right. But it was in Washington D.C. And Georgetown didn't even have dibs on its normal arena. It was booked. So the game was played in a tiny, steamy gym on campus. The NIT wanted Gerogetown, not UTEP to reach New York City.
I'm thinking UTEP gets into the NIT, but that's not a lock. Recall UTEP, in the Tony Barbee recent reign as coach, the pretty-decent Miners got stuck why down in the third tournament - the dregs - the College Basketball Invitational. No NIT bid.
UTEP had a much-better-than-expected season (25-9) after losing its two big-man stars. This has been a truly over-achieving team, with great coaching under Tim Floyd and great responding to his coaching by eight seniors who gave up their old "raggish-taggish" ways and played a defense not seen here by half the Miner fans (who weren't born then).
I think Conference USA deserved three teams in the NCAA. But the NCAA did exactly what it did last year. Conference tourney champ (this year Memphis) with the automatic bid, and conference regular-season winner UAB.
Last year UTEP won the regular season title, and got in.
UTEP is an NCAA-caliber team. Conference USA and UTEP are not national names.
The NIT field sets up later today.
It's a lock Joe. deal with it you Aggie.
Posted by: shyminer | March 13, 2011 at 05:20 PM
Too bad for UTEP but now we know the criteria going forward in CUSA to get into the NCCA Tournament...Win the regular season conference or CUSA Tournament...My prediction, UTEP is a lock for the NIT with teams like Alabama, Colorado, St Marys, VTech, Boston College..tough schedule there with maybe SMiss? The CBI will have Tulsa and Marshall
Amazing SMU accepted a bid to play in the CIT not the CBI, yesterday....wow, CIT, whats that?
March Madness, anything can happen!!
Posted by: ScoutWest | March 13, 2011 at 05:22 PM
The NIT is no longer all about money, like it was in the past. It is run by the NCAA and is seeded like the NCAA tournament. If UTEP is a 2 or 3 seed, it could host more than 1 game. The Georgetown thing was pathetic, but things have changed.
Posted by: Fact Guy | March 13, 2011 at 06:06 PM
Yes, I am devastated. But that's okay, there is still the fun of filling out our brackets with bragging rights on the line. Everyone who participated last year should have got an email invite on your yahoo account, in case you didn't get the invite or you didnt play last year, here is the link http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/
Group #: 85619
Password: utep#1
It will be fun, hope you all participate.
Posted by: Stahala | March 13, 2011 at 06:11 PM
Congrats UTEP on a good season. Play well in the NIT.
Posted by: Morgan | March 13, 2011 at 07:03 PM
Signed up for Stahala's yahoo group. I kind of agreed with Joe when I first read it. The NIT seeds teams to its liking. Further proof this year: I just read UTEP is a 5 seed and playing on the road at New Mexico.
Posted by: Lorenzo | March 13, 2011 at 07:18 PM
Stahala, tried to join your bracket group and got an invalid ID or password message when I used what you've got in your post. Can you give a hand?
Posted by: Lowercase Ray | March 13, 2011 at 11:33 PM
Miner Mike I saw the last shot and photos and yes, there could have been a foul call but ask Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant how many times they've received a foul call when they took the last shot to win a game.
In my entire life I've only seen a foul called on a last second shot in one basketball game. It was in the movie 'Teen Wolf' which is an excellent film I must say.
I look forward to signing up for Stahala's yahoo group. My last place finish last March will not happen again! (I hope).
Posted by: JAT | March 14, 2011 at 07:57 AM
I just double checked the group # and password. It's correct, Group# 85619/password: utep#1
Be sure the password in all lowercase. Is anyone else having trouble joining?
http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/
You must enter your final bracket picks before the first game of the tournament, which is scheduled for 12pm EST(10am MST) on March 17, 2011.
Good Luck! Bragging Rights on the line!
Posted by: Stahala | March 14, 2011 at 11:32 AM
By the way, it was nice CUSA got 2 teams in, even if we werent one of them. I guess the committee thinks the CUSA reg season champ deserves an "auto-bid" as well. But I cant believe were the only team in the NIT. A couple weeks ago I saw one projection with 5 cusa teams. Oh well. And I cant believe we didnt get another home game. BS if you ask me. What a tough draw. New Mexico at New Mexico...ugh, thats gonna be tough. Anyone going? Im just gonna watch it at a bar here in the 915.
Posted by: Stahala | March 14, 2011 at 11:39 AM
Yeah, ill be driving up to ABQ tomorrow. i suppose the NIT didnt want teams like So Miss, Marshall, Tulsa for some reason. Probably choosing to go with teams from the power conferences: Miami, California, Oklahoma St, Nebraska etc.
* i just wrote on Bill Knights post that this is easily the toughest road game the Miners have faced all season.
It will be interesting to see if they can stay composed and win in the Pit. We should be able to compete considering they are without their star player.
*on another note, have you seen highlights of a couple of these guys who will be suiting up for us next year?
GO to YOUTUBE, and search: Jaques Streeter and Darius Nelson.
theres some good highlights, these guys can score.
Posted by: Prospero | March 14, 2011 at 11:17 PM