ser_solace
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Turning down an invitation would be an absolutely arrogant thing to do. If it's an NIT invitation, well, that's still a good accomplishment, and it's more of chance for our team to test themselves against good competition.
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It all comes down to tonight.
- Thread starter abraveforlife
- Start date
Re: Turning Down an NIT Invite
Re: Turning Down an NIT Invite
LongTimeFan- I just do not recall Bradley ever turning down an NIT bid. Are you sure about this?
Bradley usually was grateful for an NIT bid back in the 50's and 60's when only the conference champion went to the NCAA tournament. I can't find any evidence that Bradley was invited to the NIT from 1969-1981, then they appeared twice in the 80's (82 and 85), and 4 times in the 90's, plus 2001. But they never received any bids they tuened down, that I can find.
Now Bradley did turn down the inaugural NCAA to go to the NIT in 1939, but many teams did this since the NIT was a much better and more prestigious tournament then.
These are the teams I can find any references to that turned down an NIT bid:
Maryland and Lefty Dreisell in 1974 turned down an NIT bid because he was disappointed they didn't win the ACC tournament and didn't get the automatic bid to the NCAA. And-
North Carolina State in 1975. They had won the NCAA tournament in 1974, then were snubbed by the NCAA in 1975 despite a record of 22-6. They received an NIT bid, but turned it down. And-
Georgia Tech in 1995, when they exoected an NCAA bid and did not get one, and turned down the NIT. And
Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton in 1996 turned down the NIT.
Georgetown in 2002 turned down an NIT bid because he didn't like the fact that they were assigned a road game at Iowa, and they had to travel. Their coach said all the players had classes they would have to miss. I doubt he would have used that excuse if they had gotten an NCAA bid. And-
Arkansas in 2005 was a bubble team and was left out of the NCAA. Coach Stan Heath then announced publically that they would not accept a bid to the NIT before it was offered. The NIT did not offer a bid to Arkansas that year, though they probably would have if Heath had not publically rejected them.
Re: Turning Down an NIT Invite
LongTimeFan said:
LongTimeFan- I just do not recall Bradley ever turning down an NIT bid. Are you sure about this?
Bradley usually was grateful for an NIT bid back in the 50's and 60's when only the conference champion went to the NCAA tournament. I can't find any evidence that Bradley was invited to the NIT from 1969-1981, then they appeared twice in the 80's (82 and 85), and 4 times in the 90's, plus 2001. But they never received any bids they tuened down, that I can find.
Now Bradley did turn down the inaugural NCAA to go to the NIT in 1939, but many teams did this since the NIT was a much better and more prestigious tournament then.
These are the teams I can find any references to that turned down an NIT bid:
Maryland and Lefty Dreisell in 1974 turned down an NIT bid because he was disappointed they didn't win the ACC tournament and didn't get the automatic bid to the NCAA. And-
North Carolina State in 1975. They had won the NCAA tournament in 1974, then were snubbed by the NCAA in 1975 despite a record of 22-6. They received an NIT bid, but turned it down. And-
Georgia Tech in 1995, when they exoected an NCAA bid and did not get one, and turned down the NIT. And
Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton in 1996 turned down the NIT.
Georgetown in 2002 turned down an NIT bid because he didn't like the fact that they were assigned a road game at Iowa, and they had to travel. Their coach said all the players had classes they would have to miss. I doubt he would have used that excuse if they had gotten an NCAA bid. And-
Arkansas in 2005 was a bubble team and was left out of the NCAA. Coach Stan Heath then announced publically that they would not accept a bid to the NIT before it was offered. The NIT did not offer a bid to Arkansas that year, though they probably would have if Heath had not publically rejected them.