probably went down the drain last night. There is still hope for the NIT automatic bid, since anyone can beat anyone on a given night, although I don't see anyone else beating Western, even Middle, before the tournament. And there is always hope we could win the tournament.
You'd think as many Western Division Championships as we win, we'd get lucky once in awhile and get an NCAA bid. Shows how much, nationally, a Western Division Sun Belt Championship means.

We had virtually none, anyway, and now we have virtually none for the NIT.

Just call me Rick Schaeffer. I still believe both of our Trojan teams will be playing in the post season.

(02-20-2009 05:24 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  We had virtually none, anyway, and now we have virtually none for the NIT.

I agree concerning an At Large to the NCAA, but nothing lost there since we were never even remotely in the running for one of those anyway. However, I disagree on the NIT. Our RPI dropped to #105, and if we get back on track could easily rise up into the top 100 again. Anybody in the top 100 of the RPI with 20 wins or more has a chance at an NIT At Large bid.

And, we still have a chance to win the regular season and get the automatic bid to the NIT, but we no longer control our own fate in that regard. And, of course, we obviously still have the same shot at the NCAA that we've always had- ie - win the SBC tournament.

[quote='Dr. J.' pid='4010473' dateline='1235163269']
probably went down the drain last night.

We had no chance for an NCAA at-large bid before last night.

The problem with the NIT is that there are less slots than in the past because of the automatic qualifiers. To get there from a mid-major, you have to be pretty salty.

(02-20-2009 06:50 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  The problem with the NIT is that there are less slots than in the past because of the automatic qualifiers. To get there from a mid-major, you have to be pretty salty.

The automatic qualifiers have won their conference regular season championships and are likely to have decent RPI's and records in the first place. And, I think in spite of last night, that we are pretty salty.

(02-20-2009 06:50 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  The problem with the NIT is that there are less slots than in the past because of the automatic qualifiers. To get there from a mid-major, you have to be pretty salty.

You beat me to it Pappy. Obviously we never had a shot at an NCAA at large bid. Now that the NIT is back down to 32 teams, and guarantees conference champions who don't go to the NCAA's NIT bids there will be a limited amount of "at large bids". If our conference champion wins the tourney, the NIT may take a Sun Belt team. If they take our conference champion, it greatly reduces the likelihood that they'll take another Sun Belt team. CBI here we come- if we keep our RPI in the 100-120 range.