The NIT can't get out its own way

[JeffCuse]

Man what a cluster the post season no one wants to actually play in is.

In this rare case, two teams both want the same spot and the NIT made a massive error here.

South Alabama's season is over after the team's NIT invitation was rescinded in a manner coach Richie Riley called "unacceptable."

Riley told AL.com he was informed late Sunday evening that his team had been invited to the NIT because UC Riverside declined its invitation due to a previous commitment to play in the College Basketball Invitational, a tournament with no NCAA affiliation.

However, shortly after Riley informed his team that it would play in the NIT, UC Riverside got out of its commitment to the CBI and accepted the NIT bid.

From: S. Alabama has NIT invite nixed: 'Unacceptable'


The NIT then made it even worse with their fugazi apology


And understandably, the South Alabama coach was having none of it...

Richie Riley
@USAJagsCoachRR
·
7h


A meaningless apology to the most meaningful group of players I’ve ever coached! What they did to us last night is inexcusable! These guys in our locker room don’t deserve this and it’s sad your idea of making it right is a copy and paste apology!

https://twitter.com/USAJagsCoachRR/status/1901683303561736277

What a mess. And what a failure of this dying Tournament. Just create a play in-game!!! It would have probably been the most watched NIT game in decades.

 

[miamicuse]

National UNinvited Tournament aka NUT.

Could have extended to South Alabama an "invitation in waiting pending a withdrawal by another team".

 

[Owens guy]

Just end the college basketball season after the selection show for all teams that don't make it.

Due to so many players entering the transfer portal and looking for a new team next season, even fewer players and teams now want to continue playing meaningless games after their long seasons.

But we know the reason for these tournaments - money and more games to put on TV.

Maybe only allow mid-majors and small conference teams in these tournaments and pay them directly for playing so they can raise a little NIL money.

 

[M2MPrinciples]

The secondary tournaments are a mess. FOX created its own tournament for the dregs of their partners (BE, B1G and B12), which had the effect of screwing up the NIT. FOX also scheduled their tournament at a time when most CBB fans have shifted their attention to either MLB or the ramp-up to the NBA/NHL playoffs, so they're already kneecapping themselves.

Not just that, of course. As someone mentioned, players are portaling and coaches are portal-shopping. And on top of that, power-conference schools that don't make the tournament consistently enough have to go coach-shopping. So you're left with complete teams that aren't compelling or teams with depleted staffs and zombie rosters. Why would anyone but the most degenerate gambling addicts tune in?

 

[OrlandoCuse]

They really need to cancel the NIT and any other tournaments outside of the Big Dance

 

[upperdeck]

Some teams like Cornell wanted to keep playing and couldnt so i don't think it was an issue finding teams to play.

 

[jncuse]

Sure the tournament is losing more and more of its already limited importance. And getting rejected isn't a great look.

As long as some teams want to play, and its viable for the players / organizers what's the issue here? Its not really damaging the legacy of the NIT, which hasn't been important for about 40 years at least.

Nobody is being forced to watch it - don't watch it.. It's my same feeling on rants about all the bowl games.

 

[PoppyHart]

Ga Tech, arguably our best win, is getting taken to the shed by Jacksonville State in the NIT. I think the school is in Alabama or Mississippi.

 

[sufan59]

Ga Tech, arguably our best win, is getting taken to the shed by Jacksonville State in the NIT. I think the school is in Alabama or Mississippi.

Is it possible some guys there are ready to hit the portal and kind of just mailing it in? I hope their point guard hits the portal, one of the best in the ACC imo. Not a great night tonight though.