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South Carolina declined an NIT bid

Mainly to give teams that get screwed over by the UNC dumbass bids of the world a chance to play in the post season. Also for the second place midmajors to have a chance at something.

It has it's place.
Nobody even remembers who wins it. I guess I can understand the mid majors. But if a team from a power conference goes 20-13, they have nothing to complain about not getting into the NCAA tournament. Flip a coin as far as I’m concerned. UNC, IU, Ohio State just to name a few.
 
The NIT Field just came out and it is mid major heavy. Glad to see those schools get a chance to compete and be happy to do so. I do think if the NCAA really wanted to, and since they own it, they could have the NIT be played first and the winner get the last spot in the NCAA Tournament.
That would be dope as hell if they had time to do that. Instead of expanding the tourney have a small tournament that includes all runner ups that didn’t get a bid in conference championships, regular season winners who didn’t win the conference in mid majors, and the last 4 teams out of the field. Play for a spot or 2 in the play in games. They could call it the Last Dance or something.
 
That would be dope as hell if they had time to do that. Instead of expanding the tourney have a small tournament that includes all runner ups that didn’t get a bid in conference championships, regular season winners who didn’t win the conference in mid majors, and the last 4 teams out of the field. Play for a spot or 2 in the play in games.
I'd love to see that happen. Maybe could even go back to 64 teams in the main bracket again.
 
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The NIT Field just came out and it is mid major heavy. Glad to see those schools get a chance to compete and be happy to do so. I do think if the NCAA really wanted to, and since they own it, they could have the NIT be played first and the winner get the last spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Or adjust it and have it start at 64 teams and end at the final 4 (could play the last 2 games if you really wanted an NIT Champ). Let the final 4 be the final 4 let in to the NCAAT
 
It also could mean the coaching staff wants an early jump on the portal. My guess is that’s the reason. Paris is two years removed from SEC COY
That's what happens when your statistical "luck" (per Ken Pomeroy) goes from 4th in the nation one year to 349th the next. They weren't bad at all this year, but a little snake-bit in close games.

Of course Jerry Stackhouse won co-COTY so maybe that award isn't all that meaningful.
 
This isn't just basketball. College football programs that miss the CFP now have to worry that their players on the way out won't want to play in a bowl. Effectively every bowl except the playoff is now the NIT.

College basketball isn't perfectly run but I'd much rather have this system than CFB.
 
I understand declining an NIT bid, sort of. I just feel like those added games for us last year, in a win or go home environment really gave some of our young players like Demary, Cain, and James some confidence I believe has spilled over into this year. Added practice and game reps against pretty solid competition at their places never hurt anyone.
 
The four #1 seeds in the 32 team NIT tournament are: SMU, Dayton, UC Irvine and San Francisco.

"The programs that declined tournament invites included Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers, Wake Forest, Pitt, LSU and South Carolina."
 
You used to literally sign a contract binding you to play in the NIT if you missed the NCAA tournament. I remember it being brought up in our 2013 season after we missed the tournament.
 
I am one who thinks this is sending the wrong message to the players; you don't get what you want so you quit.
The NIT is not the same as the NCAA nor is the NIT as prestigious as it once was but it still gives players/teams the opportunity to continue to play.
But we have come to accept players opting out of football bowl games and now players vote on when they want to play.

If a school is paying a kid NIL money it seems they are getting the short end of this as well.
But it comes back to what kind of message are we sending to everyone.

We seem to forget UK won the NIT in 1976 (other years as well) but now it is a disgrace to play in the NIT.
Everyone seems to be looking ahead all the time for the next shopping spree of players instead of paying attention to the present
 
Nobody even remembers who wins it. I guess I can understand the mid majors. But if a team from a power conference goes 20-13, they have nothing to complain about not getting into the NCAA tournament. Flip a coin as far as I’m concerned. UNC, IU, Ohio State just to name a few.
You remember the years UK had to play in it! 😂
 
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I am one who thinks this is sending the wrong message to the players; you don't get what you want so you quit.
The NIT is not the same as the NCAA nor is the NIT as prestigious as it once was but it still gives players/teams the opportunity to continue to play.
But we have come to accept players opting out of football bowl games and now players vote on when they want to play.

If a school is paying a kid NIL money it seems they are getting the short end of this as well.
But it comes back to what kind of message are we sending to everyone.
Because it's NIL compensation, not salary for playing games, technically neither the school nor the collective has much to be aggrieved about. (Ethically is a different matter.) The collective can't put them under contract to play the whole season right?

I suppose the collective could accuse a player of fraud if they quit the first week of the season, maybe? But good luck recruiting anyone else after you start threatening to sue past players.

I'm not a lawyer.
 
The tourney in Vegas is where these teams will go, probably. College Basketball Crown. IIRC they invite the 2 best teams from each conference to play that did not make NCAA. If i missed NCAA I would rather do a tourney like this.
 
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