Selection Sunday
Although Michigan is out, this is one of the best couple weeks in sports! The first week of the tournament is pure sports bliss!!
There are a couple conference tournament finals today!
Yale vs Princeton Do they both make it regardless of the outcome?
Bama vs TX A&M
Dayton vs VCU could they both make it regardless of the outcome?
Houston vs Memphis
Penn State vs Purdue.
Hate it, but I think we probably should play the NIT. Would be more good experience for younger players
March 12th, 2023 at 10:19 PM ^
What young players will be here in a year aside Dug who contribute?
Turn down the NIT. It’s an embarrassment. It’s like a varsity team going to a JV tournament where they have no shot of winning.
UM is one of the youngest teams in the country and has a chance to play some more high-level basketball games and give those guys chances to play competitive games. There's absolutely no reason to turn it down and it would be dumb to turn it down.
Disagree. The NIT will not do anything for next year's team. It won't even be the same team as currently constituted. It would not be dumb to turn it down. UNC didn't find it dumb to do so either.
Even if all three guys we sort of expect to leave actually do leave you've still got multiple freshmen and RS freshmen who could benefit from more basketball at this level.
Also, I know people around here like to shit on Howard and his lack of coaching acumen and "destroying what Beilein built" but maybe Hubert Davis just got lucky his team got hot for a couple of weeks last year and might be making a bad coaching decision to not play in the NIT so that whatever players he does have carry over next season might see some court time.
Will just have to agree to disagree. I believe there is more value in having the finality of not making the tournament rather than playing for what amounts to a participation trophy to feel good about the end of the season. These are young adults who have played hundreds of basketball games. A few games in the NIT against other teams that were sloppy or lacked some talent, doesn't move the needle here as far as getting them ready to play at a high enough level to make the real tournament next year.
It's a fair point about Davis but the same point can be made about Howard's team getting hot to make it to a Sweet Sixteen in a year that was otherwise mediocre at best.
March 12th, 2023 at 10:20 PM ^
Will those guys be playing in a NIT game tho? No
The NIT would be for Dug Reed.
I guess NC is dumb.
UNC starts 3 seniors and 2 juniors. There's really not much for them to gain from playing in the NIT. Us, on the other hand, could really use some game experience for Dug, Reed, and WillT, and maybe even Barnes, Glenn, and Khayat, if any of them are healthy.
Yeah, UNC had incredibly high expectations this year and crashed. I get them not wanting to play any more basketball.
It is a bit ironic that Nance left NW to go to UNC and play in the tournament...and then NW made the tournament while he's at home.
March 12th, 2023 at 10:11 PM ^
As ironic as Zeb Jackson and BJJ leaving for VCU and playing in the tournament?
March 12th, 2023 at 10:21 PM ^
Yes TWill is gonna improve so much playing this game (forget the prior few years) along with 3 guys who don't play.
I mean, they're the first preseason #1 team in history to miss the tournament so they certainly aren't doing great.
UNC turned it down.
I'm hearing Michigan at Toledo, Tuesday night.
Not even a host!?!? How far down the seed line were we??
March 12th, 2023 at 10:21 PM ^
We lost to CMU.
March 12th, 2023 at 10:29 PM ^
Michigan is a two seed and it looks like it's vs Toledo at home Tuesday night
North Carolina turned down the NIT. It’s a double edged sword to me. On one hand, I can see the value of more practice and games against other conference opponents. Teams that are in the top 75 of basketball for sure. On the other hand, it shows settling for mediocrity, that if you don’t make the tournament there is always a fall back. Part of me wants the players to feel this today and fuel them for next season as opposed to playing more games, winning a few and feeling all good about themselves. Remember how JJ and some of the players stood in the background and watched Georgia celebrate so they could remember that and go into what was a great season this year?
To me, if they go in there with the approach to go win the damn thing and springboard towards next season then I’m ok with it. If half the players just want to play some more ball before they check out officially for this season/forever then it’s a waste of time.
I wonder if they watched TCU celebrate too
March 12th, 2023 at 10:04 PM ^
Some did but I still contend that the entire team overlooked them and concentrated on Georgia.
Michigan women are making NCAA tournament as 6th seed. They will play UNLV
Winner gets to face the odious Kim Mulkey. KBA tends to outcoach her to head to head.
Kim Mulkey is the coach at LSU
Yeah, we're in the Baton Rouge pod.
I'm indifferent or maybe even slightly supportive of some of The Big Ten teams, but definitely not Sparty nor the teams starting with "I. " I'm hoping they lose in most embarrassing fashion.
March 12th, 2023 at 10:08 PM ^
NIT selection show on ESPNU if anyone’s interested. They’ve revealed the left side of the bracket so far. No Michigan yet.
March 12th, 2023 at 10:16 PM ^
Michigan’s a 2 seed in Clemson’s region, officially the Bottom Right Bracket region. Playing Toledo in the first round. Winner plus winner of Vanderbilt and Yale.
March 12th, 2023 at 10:18 PM ^
Playing Toledo in the first round is the definition of no good can come from this. Win? Good job, you beat a MAC school. Lose, now you lost to a MAC school from Ohio.
March 12th, 2023 at 10:23 PM ^
Toledo ran CMU out of the gym by 30+ a few weeks ago. They are 24-6. This is gonna be great.
March 12th, 2023 at 10:32 PM ^
We looked like a team that wants the season over against Rutgers. Great opportunity for the young guys, but effort level has to be there or we lose to another MAC school on home court.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:21 PM ^
You get better at basketball by playing basketball.
Sure, the NIT is disappointing, but getting more reps in a competitive environment for this team is not a bad thing at all.
As for the comments about accepting the NIT shows that losing is acceptable, not sure where that is coming from? Every kid dreams of playing in the NCAA, not the NIT.
This season was a failure - I don't think anyone on that team is deluding themselves that the NIT is anything more than consolation prize.