UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

[UNI MadCat]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

19 wins will put us in the postseason.

Can't tell if that's tongue in cheek or not but, yes, you are 100% correct b/c 19 wins will mean three down in StL.

Remember, we only have 17 wins in our own little world where we count Wartburg. Out "there" that game isn't even close to considered.

18-14 with a +100 RPI, few qualities wins, a very weak schedule and a 5-6 mark down the stretch gives this team a front row seat on the couch watching the madness. Sorry, but its the reality.

[UNI MadCat]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

Zero? Really? Our record isn't THAT bad.

Yes, really.

Again, the numbers just have no way of adding up.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

Why is a Strength of Schedule of 117 (current on RealtimeRPI) considered "very weak". There are more than 300 D-I teams, that SOS puts us in the top 1/3 and it will go up playing SIU. I know its not strong enough to merit consideration for the NCAA, but I don't think anyone here is arguing about NCAA at-large qualifications. We're talking about the alternate tourneys, and really only the CBI.

There are many teams above us that are right at .500 or below. Will they be picked because they have a decent SOS despite losing most of their games?

What about some teams abpve us that have wins but pathetic (as in 200+) SOS?

The truth is, none of us really know all of the criteria that will be used to pick teams.

Do we have a chance if we lose on Friday? No, we will be done.

Do we have a chance if we win on Friday? I wouldn't say we are in, but we would be in the conversation, particularly if they are looking at regional match-ups a la Minnesota.

Two wins in St. Louis? I would think we would be definitely in the conversation.

If we make the championship game, but lose, these would be our credentials:

Despite our "weak" schedule, we tied for 5th in the 8th best conference in the nation.

We would have 18 D-I wins.

We would be 5-5 in our last ten, but 4-1 in the last 5.

We would be 6-7 in road games and 2-1 in neutral games.

Despite the "little brother" mentality we sometimes have, UNI is a known "name" in the past few years athletically.



I'm not saying we would be in, I would certainly rather have the South Dakota State, Iowa, and Illinois-Chicago games back, but I still think we would be close. I mean, we only had a 1 in 4 chance of not playing on Thursday going into today...

Of course, if we're going to win 2 in St. Louis, we might as well just go ahead and win 3.

[UNI MadCat]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

I should have been more clear... out of conference SOS.

260.

[UNI MadCat]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

Do we have a chance if we win on Friday? I wouldn't say we are in, but we would be in the conversation, particularly if they are looking at regional match-ups a la Minnesota.

Two wins in St. Louis? I would think we would be definitely in the conversation.

As long as you don't go so far as to make it a "solid lock" again... it didnt work out for you last time.

[Newsbreaker]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

Our only chance is:

Win two games in STL, and

NIT keeps all the "big" schools and the CBI is looking to fill its bracket, or

CBI steals some of the "big" schools from the NIT, and they are looking to fill their bracket.

[BCPanther]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

I think the regional component of the CBI, and Minnesota saying that they wouldl prefer the CBI, I think, bodes well for us to get into that tournament if we can get the Salukis again...

[Newsbreaker]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

I believe Minnesota said they would consider the CBI over the NIT, not that they would prefer the CBI over the NIT.

[Matt Trump]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

The team was better last year and didn't even make it into the NIT. Is this really being argued right now?

[BCPanther]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

It is being argued because there are 16 more postseason slots this year. I will admit it is highly unlikely that we make anything other than the NCAA by winning the tournament, but I don't think its a stone cold lock that we won't be considered for the two smaller tournaments if we can beat SIU and/or IlSU this weekend...

[UNI MadCat]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

I think the regional component of the CBI, and Minnesota saying that they wouldl prefer the CBI, I think, bodes well for us to get into that tournament if we can get the Salukis again...

I think some of you are looking at the "regional" component in the wrong way. The tournament will try to align teams regionally to minimize travel.

That doesn't mean that they will choose one team over another because of their location. How would they ever get credibility?

• "We need to pick a team between B & C to play A."
• "Oh, well B has a better record, RPI, last 10 and in a stronger conference."
• "Well, yes but C is 300 miles closer... we'll go with them. Sorry B, you earned it but if you just would have had a more appropriate geographic location... maybe next time."

[Panthers to the Bone]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

For those counting at home, I figured out that there are 96 locks for post-season already established. That means if you are going to finish .500+ in a BCS conference you are in (to either the NCAA, NIT, or CBI). I count teams like SIU/CU as locks for the NIT. My number also means that if a team that wins the conference regular season title from a one bid league gets beat in their post-season tourney, that another lock is taken.

There are 113 spots available.

Here's the shake down (as of tonight):

NCAA/NIT/CBI Possibles
ACC: 8 GT (14-16), NC State (15-15), Virginia (14-14)
Big 12: 10
Pac 10: 9
Big East: 10 Cinci (13-16), Providence (15-14)
SEC: 7 S. Carolina (13-16), Bama (16-15), Auburn (14-15)
Big Ten: 6 Penn State (14-15)

A-10: 6 Richmond (16-13), Charlotte (17-12), St. Louis (16-14), Duquesne (17-12)
MVC: 4 Bradley (17-15), UNI (18-14), Missouri State (17-16)
MWC: 4 Utah (16-13), Air Force (16-13), TCU (14-15)
C-USA: 3 CFU (16-13), Marshall (16-13), So.Miss (17-13), UTEP (16-12), Tulsa (16-12), Tulane (16-14)
Horizon: 3 Valpo (19-12), UIC (17-14)
MAC: 3 Miami (OH) (14-14), Western Michigan (18-11)
Colonial: 2 Old Dominion (17-14), UNC-Wilmington (19-12)
West Coast: 2 San Diego (18-13)
Sun Belt: 2 North Texas (20-10)
Patriot: 1 (American if not win tourney, will get NIT bid)
MAAC: 1 Siena (no tourney, in NIT), Rider (22-9), Niagara (19-10), Loyola-MD (19-13), Marist (18-13)
Big West: 1 UC-SB (no tourney, in NIT), Fullerton (21-8), Northridge (20-9), Pacific (21-9)
Southland: 1 SFA (no tourney, in NIT), Lamar (19-10), Sam Houston (22-7)
WAC: 1 Boise (21-8), Utah State (23-9), Nevada (20-10), New Mexico State (19-13)
Southern: 1 Davidson (no tourney, in NIT), Georgia Southern (18-11)
Summit: 1 Oral Roberts (no tourney, in NIT), IUPUI (24-6)
Northeast: 1 Robert Morris (no tourney, in NIT), Wagner (23-7)
Ivy League: 1 Brown (18-9)
Big Sky: 1 Portland State (no tourney, in NIT), Northern Arizona (18-10)
America East: 1 UMBC (no tourney, in NIT)
Big South: 2 NC-Asheville (NIT)
Atlantic Sun: 1
Ohio Valley: 1 Austin Peay (no tourney, in NIT)
MEAC: 1 Morgan State (no tourney, in NIT)
SWAC: 1 Alabama State (no tourney, in NIT)

Totals: 96 locks + 50 'bubble' teams

[UNI MadCat]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

I'm sure they can't but I wonder if the CBI can tell teams like us as early as now either... "we're interested," "we're interested IF this happens," or "sorry you arent being considered"??

RPI at 123 this morning. Unfortunately, I think not winning at least 2 of these 3 winnable games vs SDSU, UIC & Iowa will keep us at home again.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

Good stuff, PTTB. I said before Arch Madness I though we needed two wins and I'll hold to that. However, there is still a glimmer of hope.

Positives:
CBI has stated they aren't so much concerned with RPI.
We tied for 5th in the 8th best conference.
If it comes down to us versus Bradley, they have a better RPI (see above) but we did better against the top 100, we finished better (Bradley lost three straight) and we have a better overall record.

Not sure if the CBI will want to be sure to include an MVC team or not, but we would have to be in the conversation if they do. We've got warts, but so does everyone else at this level of discussion. We really have to root for few upsets in the one-bid leagues.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: UNI's chance at the CBI or NIT?

I'm sure they can't but I wonder if the CBI can tell teams like us as early as now either... "we're interested," "we're interested IF this happens," or "sorry you arent being considered"??

RPI at 123 this morning. Unfortunately, I think not winning at least 2 of these 3 winnable games vs SDSU, UIC & Iowa will keep us at home again.

I would think they could at least say whether we're being considered so we can continue practicing or not.

The really tough part right now is not having a permanent Athletic Director with basketball contacts who could be doing some serious lobbying this next week. Guess we'll have to hope the Valley office does all it can.