Miami & Akron get NIT bids (bracket included)

[dduncan]

You have to take a look at their losses (bad losses, close losses, etc.) and wins and evaulate their team based on that. You can't say, 'well, they lost 12 games', they shouldn't bitch. They should, if you compare them to some teams that made the tourney (Alabama, Air Force)

They played a very competitive schedule and get nothing for it. Air Force plays a horrible schedule (probably not their fault), has 2 or 3 decent wins (Miami, GT, SDSU) and get rewarded for having 20+ wins. That's just wrong. This committee looked at the amount of wins, not strength of schedule.

Cinci, should just schedule all MAC teams (non-confernce), finish 8-8 in the Big East and get in the tourney. Cinci. deserves a bid over Alabama, at the very least based on playing a better schedule and having just as many big wins and beat teams that Alabama lost to.

[dduncan]

I won't cry that Cincy didn't get in. They never make it past the 2nd round anyway. They didn't derseve it this year and one thing I'm happy about is the committee left them out.

Hey, I've always hated Bob Huggins and their shady program. Now that he is gone doesn't change my dislike for Cinci.

What does the past NCAA tourney success or struggles have to do with anything they may or may not do this season? Nothing. That's just a foolish statement.

[hammb]

I don't care about strength of schedule all that much. I'd MUCH rather see a 20+ win team from a small conference get in over some big conference team that was mediocre. Are they a better team head to head? Probably not. But it's a helluva lot better story to watch the little guys try to make a name than watch Cincy get in. If the Bearcats wanted in they should've defended McNamara. They knew going into the conference tourney they were on the bubble and they lost their first round game. Tough cookies as far as I'm concerned.

Personally I'm thrilled to see some smaller conference teams that had good seasons make it in. I was shocked to see it, but I'm glad. Perhaps a new precedent is sent and our conference will finally have a chance to get some at large bids when we deserve them. These teams that you're complaining about getting in over Cincy are pretty similar to the teams that we had that got "screwed" in '97 & '02.

[BGorDeath]

Apparently Mr. Nantz and Mr. Packer thinks only majors should get bids. I'm surprised that they just didn't say a new formula should be put in place - every school from the Big 6 conferences get in and that's it. Personally, I am quite glad to see the ACC only get 4 teams. Finally, justice has been served.

[dduncan]

don't care about strength of schedule all that much. I'd MUCH rather see a 20+ win team from a small conference get in over some big conference team that was mediocre. Are they a better team head to head? Probably not. But it's a helluva lot better story to watch the little guys try to make a name than watch Cincy get in. If the Bearcats wanted in they should've defended McNamara. They knew going into the conference tourney they were on the bubble and they lost their first round game. Tough cookies as far as I'm concerned.

Personally I'm thrilled to see some smaller conference teams that had good seasons make it in. I was shocked to see it, but I'm glad. Perhaps a new precedent is sent and our conference will finally have a chance to get some at large bids when we deserve them. These teams that you're complaining about getting in over Cincy are pretty similar to the teams that we had that got "screwed" in '97 & '02.

Ok, taking your personal bias out of the equation, which I'm doing, do you believe Alabama and Air Force and others should be in the tourney ahead of Cinci.?

I would have loved to see BG make it in 97 and 02, no doubt. Did they deserve making it? Not in 2002. Air Force is probably better than the BG team of 2002 and more deserving.

[hammb]

Ok, taking your personal bias out of the equation, which I'm doing, do you believe Alabama and Air Force and others should be in the tourney ahead of Cinci.?

I would have loved to see BG make it in 97 and 02, no doubt. Did they deserve making it? Not in 2002. Air Force is probably better than the BG team of 2002 and more deserving.

This is all about personal bias. In my opinion I'd rather see these mid major teams that had outstanding seasons get in than more major conference at larges. In my mind the tournament is about giving the little guys a chance, it makes for better stories and a more enjoyable tournament.

If you're asking who I think is the better team if the two played head to head, I think Cincy is better than UAF. But I do think UAF has a better tournament resumé. For that matter I think Missouri State and Hofstra both have better tournament resumés than either Cincy or UAF.

I want the tournament to reward those that have good and great seasons by giving them a shot to play for the title. I don't want them to try and put the best 64 teams out there. Doing that would only further perpetuate the advantages that the large conference teams have. It's nice to see them put in some of these good mid major teams over the underachieving major teams for a change.

[San Diego Falcon]

The major conference teams have all the inherent advantages over the mid-major schools, so I'll never get upset over a major conference getting snubbed. It probably so happens that the major conference teams that did get snubbed refused to play a mid-major team on the OOC schedule at some point, so karma is biting them in the ass.

[dduncan]

While there is no real formula to know what the committee is going to look at, year to year, I don't expect a big change of scheduling games for the big conference schools.

But if the trend continues, the big schools will not schedule games vs. other big school teams. It will make november and december less appealing to watch. Which could give BG games vs. more Big Ten, east coast schools. Perhaps.

[BGSUfalcons]

FSU has no cause to gripe, nor would have Texas A&M had they not made it. Both had horrible non-conference schedules and only one notable win (the same holds true for UAB, by the way). Cincinatti, however, is a different story. Their non-conference schedule was brutal. They beat LSU, Syracuse, WVU, and Marquette plus a number of solid mid-major teams. Three of their loses were to #1 seeds (Memphis, Uconn, and Nova).

[mualum78]

Miami hosts Butler and Akron plays at Temple in the opening round of the NIT.

http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/sch ... -stats.pdf

Unfortunately, since the OHSAA has tournaments already scheduled at Millett, the game has been moved to Indianapolis to Butler University.
Good luck to Miami, Kent, Akron and the BG women.
GO MAC teams!

[BGSU33]

Unfortunately, since the OHSAA has tournaments already scheduled at Millett, the game has been moved to Indianapolis to Butler University.
Good luck to Miami, Kent, Akron and the BG women.
GO MAC teams!

Damn, that'll make it a much tougher game for Miami then. I’ll still be pulling for the ‘Hawks though. BG went to Butler a few years ago (2002) to play in the NIT at Hinkle Fieldhouse but got beat. That was the year both BG and Butler were snubbed big-time by the NCAA, only to have to face-off in the first round of the NIT. It was such bullshit. It made sense from a proximity standpoint, but it was a damn shame those we had to play each other right off the bat.