SO, the MAC post-season stuff is coming in now. It is going to be much slower than usual. I think it is clear that MAC teams are more likely to turn down invites to the "minor" tournaments (CBI/CIT) than they used to be. Those tournaments require the teams who participate to pay, and I don't think anyone is that excited about playing, so you have to ask yourself if that makes sense.
So, the biggest thing is the Buffalo got a #13 seed, which is tough and pretty unfair. I know, they had no tier one wins, but even with that, you have to think they should be at least a #12. Not that it is a huge difference. They play the late game Friday against a really good Arizona team, which is a difficult assignment. But, Buffalo has a shot.
UT did not get an NIT invite, which is a pretty big surprise. If Buffalo had lost Saturday, there's was automatic, but that's as far as it goes. UT belongs in the NIT as a minimum. For my money, Toledo belongs ahead of double-digit loss teams from major conferences, but that isn't how it works. Anyway, Toledo was skipped for the NIT--which is even more mercenary than the NCAA--and they declined the CBI/CIT bids. They are done.
For reference, Old Dominion, who also destroyed BG, were 25-7 in an even higher ranked conference and also got NIT-Snubbed.
CMU is IN!!!! They are playing in the CIT, against Fort Wayne on MONDAY. Yeesh. Also, late word has EMU in the CIT as well, though we don't know who they are playing yet.
And Miami is in. They are playing in the CBI, playing at Campbell on Wednesday. BG played over Thanksgiving in that very spot against Campbell.
From what I have seen, Kent and Ball State also turned down invites.
The only non-MAC opponents BG played that are in the post-season are Campbell (see above) and FGCU (NIT).
Anymore, after the NCAA and NIT, whatever you call playing in still lesser tournaments is irrelevant. Though in the case of Toledo I have this odd, nagging sense there is more of an active snub-factor in their being ignored. They get bailed on in other sports too, not just MBB.
ReplyDeleteThe real question is what, if anything, can the MAC do to build toward the quality it had in the past. Fans, TV, recruits, selection committees, all would take things more seriously if the MAC were seemingly on the rise toward something again.