Would you rather?

[kdog27]

Just curious. What would you all think is better winning the NIT or making the the tournament and losing in the first or second round? I’d say sweet sixteen is about as good as we could currently do, like the stacked 07 team. Women’s parity is better than it use to be but still not as wide open as men’s yet. We couldn’t beat South Carolina in 100 tries but wouldn’t be the case in same scenario in men’s.

Or win NIT while getting to host several games. Personally I’d take this scenario. In men’s I’d pick the other scenario mainly because of the embarrassing drought.

[mbenecke]

Any type of winning is good enough for me.

This is a difficult question because ultimately you want to at least have a shot in the big dance. But winning at this level is a huge consolation prize. Getting Memphis and Florida to come play here in late March is pretty darn cool.

[BillyLP]

NCAA Tourney for me and it’s not really close. That’s where the money and attention come from. No one outside of WBB even knows of the WNIT…unless a player takes a cheap shot punch in a handshake line and the video goes viral.

[Flipper]

A deep run in the WNIT vs a one and done in the NCAA's? Depends on the NCAA outcome....did we keep it close or get blown out? I'd rather have a deep run in the WNIT than get blown out in rd one of the NCAA's

[kdog27]

A deep run in the WNIT vs a one and done in the NCAA's? Depends on the NCAA outcome....did we keep it close or get blown out? I'd rather have a deep run in the WNIT than get blown out in rd one of the NCAA's

Yea that’s how I feel. My interest in the women’s program likely would’ve ended last weekend had they made the tournament. Instead they are playing and actually hosting schools they never would normally which helps future fan engagement I would think.

[kdog27]

NCAA Tourney for me and it’s not really close. That’s where the money and attention come from. No one outside of WBB even knows of the WNIT…unless a player takes a cheap shot punch in a handshake line and the video goes viral.

I get that line of thought too. It’s the main goal and everything else is a consolation prize. But seriously how many people watch an opening round women’s game of BG vs insert 4 seeded power 5 school here anyway? I would guess it’s lower than maction games

[footballguy51]

Winning the NIT, to me, is better than getting booted quickly in the tournament. Toledo won their first game against Iowa State, talked a big game about being overlooked, and then was completely destroyed by Tennessee in the round of 32. Upsets happen so often in the 5/12 and 4/13 range that they aren't as remarkable anymore. Granted, they don't happen in the women's game as often as the men's game, but they still aren't as rare.

Now, having a 12 seed or lower make the Sweet 16? Then they start to talk. In the men's game, Loyola-Chicago as an 11 seed made the Final Four back in 2018 and that was a HUGE deal. But, keep in mind, you said losing in the first or second round. The only teams that get notable coverage for a first round upset are the 15 and 16 seeds because they were NEVER supposed to win the game, or the 11, 12, 13, or 14 seed that completely destroys the higher seed team in a game rather than winning by less than 5 points. Again on the men's side, FDU got big press this year for being a 16 seed and taking down a 1 seed for only the second time in history. Princeton, as a 15 seed out of the Ivy League, should not have won their game either but they did and then actually made the Sweet 16 (again, they won in the 2nd round, so not your example).

In the women's tournament, a 16 seed won back in 1998 when the committee over-ranked Stanford and under-ranked Harvard. In the women's game, not a single 14 or 15 seed has ever won a game, seven 13-seeds have pulled a first-round upset, and twenty-six 12-seeds have pulled the upset. So, in the women's game, being a 12-16 seed and winning a first-round game means something, but making the Sweet 16 is when you start to get the attention.

Lastly, winning the NIT gives more credibility to the conference and to the team in general. You proved that you could make a tournament and run the gauntlet as opposed to getting the auto bid to the NCAA and getting bounced quickly. At the end of this season, looking to next season, given the choice between BG and Toledo, which team would Stanford, South Carolina, UConn, etc. choose to schedule? Probably BG because the win is a good win and a loss would be a good loss because BG has proven to be the stronger opponent. Also, it's quite possible that the MAC puts two or more teams into the following NCAA tournament based on the respect of winning the NIT, other strong teams are given more respect as well (Ball State this year), and it builds the team character needed to make a long national title run.

Now, if we win the NIT this year, I want to be in the NCAA next year. You don't want to make a living running the table in the NIT, as fun as it would be. You want the NIT to be a proving ground.

[mbenecke]

Agree with the take above. My hope is that this WNIT run lays the foundation for a MAC championship and NCAA tournament bid next season. It's valuable tournament experience for the team, and I hope it translates into something.

[kdog27]

Winning the NIT, to me, is better than getting booted quickly in the tournament. Toledo won their first game against Iowa State, talked a big game about being overlooked, and then was completely destroyed by Tennessee in the round of 32. Upsets happen so often in the 5/12 and 4/13 range that they aren't as remarkable anymore. Granted, they don't happen in the women's game as often as the men's game, but they still aren't as rare.

Now, having a 12 seed or lower make the Sweet 16? Then they start to talk. In the men's game, Loyola-Chicago as an 11 seed made the Final Four back in 2018 and that was a HUGE deal. But, keep in mind, you said losing in the first or second round. The only teams that get notable coverage for a first round upset are the 15 and 16 seeds because they were NEVER supposed to win the game, or the 11, 12, 13, or 14 seed that completely destroys the higher seed team in a game rather than winning by less than 5 points. Again on the men's side, FDU got big press this year for being a 16 seed and taking down a 1 seed for only the second time in history. Princeton, as a 15 seed out of the Ivy League, should not have won their game either but they did and then actually made the Sweet 16 (again, they won in the 2nd round, so not your example).

In the women's tournament, a 16 seed won back in 1998 when the committee over-ranked Stanford and under-ranked Harvard. In the women's game, not a single 14 or 15 seed has ever won a game, seven 13-seeds have pulled a first-round upset, and twenty-six 12-seeds have pulled the upset. So, in the women's game, being a 12-16 seed and winning a first-round game means something, but making the Sweet 16 is when you start to get the attention.

Lastly, winning the NIT gives more credibility to the conference and to the team in general. You proved that you could make a tournament and run the gauntlet as opposed to getting the auto bid to the NCAA and getting bounced quickly. At the end of this season, looking to next season, given the choice between BG and Toledo, which team would Stanford, South Carolina, UConn, etc. choose to schedule? Probably BG because the win is a good win and a loss would be a good loss because BG has proven to be the stronger opponent. Also, it's quite possible that the MAC puts two or more teams into the following NCAA tournament based on the respect of winning the NIT, other strong teams are given more respect as well (Ball State this year), and it builds the team character needed to make a long national title run.

Now, if we win the NIT this year, I want to be in the NCAA next year. You don't want to make a living running the table in the NIT, as fun as it would be. You want the NIT to be a proving ground.

I agree. Cool to win once and hang that banner IMO.

[Falconfreak90]

Tsun hung that WNIT banner a few years back. I'd take that banner in a second, although I'd rather make the NCAA tourney. Seeing how the MAC gets screwed every year, it is what it is. I LOVE this WNIT run we are on. Shows we did belong in the NCAA. Bringing home the WNIT title would be awesome.

BEAT THE GATORS!!!!!

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

I went to a women's basketball game for the first time because it was a game that mattered, and there was a lot of buzz about the team, and there was excitement in the air. For me, I'm not sure it matters if it's NCAA or NIT, just give me a reason to go! Oh...and we had a great time, especially since a hockey game broke out at the end.