| Subject: NIT possibilities |
Author:
Titan Eric
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Date Posted: 12:45:48 02/11/03 Tue
In reply to:
RP3
's message, "Re: opponents rpi" on 10:33:32 02/11/03 Tue
I have followed NIT invitations for several years after the Titans got the "shaft" in 1994 and 1996. Over the years, I have learned the following principles about the NIT selection process:
1. The NIT committee "pretty much" goes down the RPI starting first with the teams which fell off the NCAA bubble and working their way up to the 90-100 RPI teams.
2. The NIT committee will "jump over" (or in other words, not invited) better RPI teams to invite NY/East Coast teams (ex. Manhattan, Marist, Wagner, Rutgers, UMass, and St. Johns). The NIT committee will also "jump over" better RPI teams to invite Big 6 teams sitting in the 100 to 115 RPI range. This exception can only work against the Titans.
3. The expanded 8 slots were added, in part, to allow the NIT to invite teams whose RPI is just over the cut-off (typically 100 RPI mark) but who were regular season conference champs that did not receive the automatic NCAA conference bid (ex. Tennessee Tech in 2002). This exception can only work against the Titans.
4. In the recent past, the NIT committee has limited the number of invitiations to some mid-major conferences. (Ex. in 2000? the MAC had several teams finish in the top 95 RPI, one team got the automatic NCAA bid and I believe Bowling Green and one other team got a NIT invite while 2 or 3 other top 95 RPI MAC teams were "jumped" and left out of postseason play.) This exception to the first rule can only work against the Titans.
I believe that the Titans can and will move their RPI into the NIT range with a strong finish in February and March. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR I WOULD BE CONCERNED WITH ITEM 4 ABOVE. If the Titans improve their RPI into the NIT range and if the HL gets only one NCAA bid (lets say Butler, UIC, or Milwaukee) I question whether the NIT would invite 3 HL teams. Butler (50ish), UIC(70ish), and Milwuakee (70ish) currently look like solid NIT locks. Although they invited Detroit last year at 89 or 90, I am not confident that NIT would invite Detroit again this year should Detroit finish with a 90-100ish RPI and UIC and Milwaukee both finish with 70-80ish RPIs.
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