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NIT Round 1 - Bradley 74 Loyola 62
- Thread starter BUBalum05
- Start date
bradleyfan124
Active member
I think Bradley has a good shot at the NIT. Indiana State and Drake to the NCAA. That leaves Bradley for the NIT. I think they deserve it
I agree. That seems most likely.
There are several NIT Bracketology websites, fwiw...
>> https://www.nitbracketology.com/2024/03/nit-bracketology-march-11.html - has Bradley playing at Iowa
>> https://www.dratings.com/predictor/bracketology/ - has Bradley as a road team
>> https://thebarkingcrow.com/nit-bracketology/ - has Bradley playing at Iowa
I'd still love to see the NCAA Selection Committee do the right thing and put 3 MVC members (all three have NET in Top 60)
in the NCAA Tourney, but....given I doubt that'll happen....
NIT opponents I would want to see us get (I know some will get an NCAA bid & some may decline an NIT bid, but I'm hoping,,):
-Loyola
-Nebraska
-Cincinnati (to get Drew Adams)
-Grand Canyon (to get Bryce Drew & Jamaal Walker)
-Oregon (word is that Dana's retiring)
- then either UNI or Indiana State (if they're shafted) in the Championship game in Las Vegas
Bradley will get a road game, and so will Loyola, Cincinnati, Grand Canyon, and probably Oregon.
Nebraska is pretty securely in the NCAA. I am expecting Iowa if Bradley gets an NIT bid.
The NCAA has said that 12 of the 16 home games in the first round are reserved for the highest NET teams from the Power 6 conferences.
Link>> https://www.ncaa.org/news/2023/10/2...s-changes-to-tournament-selection-format.aspx
"...the NIT will guarantee two teams (based on the NET rankings) from each of six conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern). The top two teams in the NET rankings not qualifying for the NCAA men's basketball tournament from each conference, regardless of win-loss record, will be selected. Additionally, the 12 teams automatically selected will be guaranteed the opportunity to host a game in the first round of the NIT."
Nebraska is pretty securely in the NCAA. I am expecting Iowa if Bradley gets an NIT bid.
The NCAA has said that 12 of the 16 home games in the first round are reserved for the highest NET teams from the Power 6 conferences.
Link>> https://www.ncaa.org/news/2023/10/2...s-changes-to-tournament-selection-format.aspx
"...the NIT will guarantee two teams (based on the NET rankings) from each of six conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern). The top two teams in the NET rankings not qualifying for the NCAA men's basketball tournament from each conference, regardless of win-loss record, will be selected. Additionally, the 12 teams automatically selected will be guaranteed the opportunity to host a game in the first round of the NIT."
bradleyfan124
Active member
Well of course but NCAA does not favor the so called bigger teams. Yeah right. It is so blatant
basketball nut
Active member
It's all about the big babies and how many fans can they get. Bradley at 5-6000 or Iowa at 9-10,000.
15 years ago when we drew 9-10,000 fans we would definitely have been considered for a home game. Not any more.
15 years ago when we drew 9-10,000 fans we would definitely have been considered for a home game. Not any more.
tomahawk chop
Member
Exactly, Bradley will never get a home game because of attendance. I remember hosting NIT games years ago and we were lucky to get 5500 because some of our fans were gone to Florida or Arizona for spring training baseball .
bradleyfan124
Active member
How is it the so called power conferences rule who gets what. There are 363 schools in D1, only 82 of which are in the Power 6. Assuming one vote per school how do they get whatever they want?
BUSongwriter
New member
I would think if we hosted an Iowa or other Big 14 team in the NIT, that our attendance would be 8,000-plus. There were 11,000 when we played Michigan in 2012. I know things have changed since then, but I really believe if we hosted a "power conference" team here the fans would turn out because it's so darn rare.
Iowa has not been drawing well this year, there have been a few Big Ten games the crowds looked to be in the 4-5000 range.
tomahawk chop
Member
I wish that was true but unfortunately because of the price of tickets we would get 6,000 at the most and more then likely 5,000 or less.Back before the lady Prez. took over we had a great fan base but we lost a good deal of fans do to her poor decisions. NIT ticket prices are controlled by them so there would not be cheap ticket pricing.
Stryker
New member
I remember, because I was in school at the time, in 2007 BU hosted an NIT game against Providence. Will Franklin had a great game and BU won in OT by 10+. I believe the game was a "white-out", and being in the student section, it felt like it had to have been a near sell out at Carver. But we all know those days are long gone.
With all due respect to everyone, attendance has NOTHING to do with why Bradley would or would not get a home game. A few of the Power 6 conferences almost made an agreement with Fox to play in a Vegas postseason tournament for the top Power 6 teams that didn't make the NCAA field. They did this because they didn't like how North Texas and UAB played for the NIT championship last year. Numerous Power 6 teams lost in the NIT to the mid-majors and this motivated the Power 6 to look for more advantages and this Vegas tournament.
So in an effort to appease the Power 6 to NOT breakaway, the NIT made a change on their own to reward 12 "autobids" to the top 2 finishers in the Power 6 leagues that do not make the NCAA tournament. They will give those 12 autobid teams home games in the NIT. That leaves only 4 home game slots for the rest of the 20 teams that make the NIT. So to get a home game, you have to picked as one of the 4 best "at large" teams. So think possibly Indiana St. if they get snubbed by the NCAA committee, but beyond that it will be tough to get an NIT home game as a non-Power 6 league team.
The NIT also removed the conference "autobid" for the regular season champs in a league. Interestingly, that probably helps teams like Bradley who are strong mid-majors. The lower conferences get screwed in this, but Bradley is in good shape to make the NIT as they are one of the best 20 eligible teams after you take out the top 12 Power 6 teams after the NCAA's.
Again - all due respect, but attendance has nothing to do with this. The Power 6 leagues simply did NOT want to have to play more road games against non-Power 6 teams for fear of losing/nothing to gain in their eyes.
So in an effort to appease the Power 6 to NOT breakaway, the NIT made a change on their own to reward 12 "autobids" to the top 2 finishers in the Power 6 leagues that do not make the NCAA tournament. They will give those 12 autobid teams home games in the NIT. That leaves only 4 home game slots for the rest of the 20 teams that make the NIT. So to get a home game, you have to picked as one of the 4 best "at large" teams. So think possibly Indiana St. if they get snubbed by the NCAA committee, but beyond that it will be tough to get an NIT home game as a non-Power 6 league team.
The NIT also removed the conference "autobid" for the regular season champs in a league. Interestingly, that probably helps teams like Bradley who are strong mid-majors. The lower conferences get screwed in this, but Bradley is in good shape to make the NIT as they are one of the best 20 eligible teams after you take out the top 12 Power 6 teams after the NCAA's.
Again - all due respect, but attendance has nothing to do with this. The Power 6 leagues simply did NOT want to have to play more road games against non-Power 6 teams for fear of losing/nothing to gain in their eyes.
Stryker
New member
Exactly right. This change is going to remove chances at home games in the NIT, but for mid majors with NETs in the 50-80s that miss the NCAA tournament, it will likely increase their chances a great deal of being in the NIT.
I'll be curious to see how many teams opt out of the NIT. Last year Dayton and UNC declined invitations, and now that the seal has been broken I'd expect a few teams every year decline to participate. Does a team like Ohio State who will be conducting a coaching search choose not to play?
Looks like Loyola will be in the mix for an NIT bid. They just got beat and eliminated from the A-10 tournament by St. Bonaventure 75-74 in double OT. - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401625551
Loyola ends their season with a nice record, 23-9, and they finished 15-3 in the conference regular season. But their NET rank is 84, too high to expect an at-large NCAA bid.
That NET of 84 combined with playing in a non-power conference means if they are in the NIT, they won't get seeded high enough to get a home game.
Loyola ends their season with a nice record, 23-9, and they finished 15-3 in the conference regular season. But their NET rank is 84, too high to expect an at-large NCAA bid.
That NET of 84 combined with playing in a non-power conference means if they are in the NIT, they won't get seeded high enough to get a home game.
Stryker
New member
With the A10 being down so much this year, I agree. It is likely Dayton will the A10 conference champion and the A10 is a 1-bid league this year. Quite a down turn overall for that conference. However, Loyola had a much improved season this year after finishing last. I was surprised by it and did not expect to see it.
Bradley fans might have reason to be a bit worried after all the conference tournament upsets and bubble teams being pushed out of NCAA Tournament bids. It means Indiana State likely is not going to get an at-large bid to the NCAAT, but it also means there are extra teams being bumped to the NIT.
Could Bradley now be on the bubble for an NIT bid?
Could Bradley now be on the bubble for an NIT bid?