NIT Great Alternative

[TaTonka_31]

Although the teams in the NIT this year all wish they were in the "Big Dance", the TV coverage and exposure is tremendous for the participating teams. It's the only game in town this week in between the weekend coverage of the NCAA's. I would think that the ratings for this week's final eight games would be fantastic.

Very nice goal and incentive for the team next year. Makes each regular season game in the Mid-Con huge next season.

[TheDoctor]

I was thinking the same thing! NCState got as much coverage the last couple weeks as UNC. Who is better off? Georgia Tech or NCState? Some would say GT because they made the dance. Some would say NCState because of all the games they get on television out of the NIT bit.

[gatewayrabbit]

I agree. I think the NCAA saved the NIT. It really helps to have the thing seeded and have brackets so it has a good tournament feel. It also gives the mid-major teams who win their regular season a guarantee of a postseason game regardless of whether they win their conference tournament.

[TaTonka_31]

I have been a proponet of expanding the NCAA tournament. After seeing the quality of the teams and the exposure they are getting in the NIT, I may change my thinking.

Maybe by expanding the NIT to 64 and playing one more round, it would satisfy most of the good teams each year. Of course, you are always going to have the bubble teams that thought they should have been selected for the "Big Dance", but by keeping the number of teams in the NCAA's to 64, it will assure that the NIT will be a quality tounament with quality High Major programs participating.

Imagine 32 more games with some of them in Mid-Major arenas. It could create a tremendous amount of excitement in areas that have not experienced post season play in basketball and could generate some much needed revenue.

There was a time when the NIT was considered to be almost on par with the NCAA tournament. A chance to play at the final four in Madison Square Garden did and still has appeal. If you throw regional ESPN or CSTV games into the mix, it's not a bad gig at all.

[RodentiaX1]

The attitude towards the NIT can vary a lot. Teams that expect to be every-year participants in the NCAA tournament will often sneer at the NIT, while it can be a very big deal for other teams to get invited to the NIT. The NIT used to be the chamionship tournament, it's older than the NCAA tournament. For a while, they were held in essentially equal regard.

But I would have to say that making the NCAA tournament, evev if it is one-and-out is more desirable than the NIT - it's just a better "resume stuffer" for the school.

[TaTonka_31]

No one will ever desire to go to the NIT before the NCAA. My point was that it seems to have become a more desirable alternative. As I mentioned, the bubble teams will always grumble, thats human nature. I say expand the NIT and make it greater still.

[jzillmer]

The attitude towards the NIT can vary a lot. Teams that expect to be every-year participants in the NCAA tournament will often sneer at the NIT, while it can be a very big deal for other teams to get invited to the NIT. The NIT used to be the chamionship tournament, it's older than the NCAA tournament. For a while, they were held in essentially equal regard.

But I would have to say that making the NCAA tournament, evev if it is one-and-out is more desirable than the NIT - it's just a better "resume stuffer" for the school.


Didn't NYU or something like that win both in the same year back in the 50's?

[gatewayrabbit]

The attitude towards the NIT can vary a lot. Teams that expect to be every-year participants in the NCAA tournament will often sneer at the NIT, while it can be a very big deal for other teams to get invited to the NIT. The NIT used to be the chamionship tournament, it's older than the NCAA tournament. For a while, they were held in essentially equal regard.

But I would have to say that making the NCAA tournament, evev if it is one-and-out is more desirable than the NIT - it's just a better "resume stuffer" for the school.


Didn't NYU or something like that win both in the same year back in the 50's?

Actually the NIT was bigger than the NCAA tournament. This was back in the days when only the conference champions made the NCAA tournament and there were ZERO at-large berths. It will never be that big again. I like what they have now. 32 teams is enough. The WNIT has 48 teams and that is probably too many. There are too many teams in the early rounds that weren't extremely competitive.

[BraxtonT]

The attitude towards the NIT can vary a lot. Teams that expect to be every-year participants in the NCAA tournament will often sneer at the NIT, while it can be a very big deal for other teams to get invited to the NIT. The NIT used to be the chamionship tournament, it's older than the NCAA tournament. For a while, they were held in essentially equal regard.

But I would have to say that making the NCAA tournament, evev if it is one-and-out is more desirable than the NIT - it's just a better "resume stuffer" for the school.


Didn't NYU or something like that win both in the same year back in the 50's?

I believe the name of the school was City College of New York.