TRUESLU Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Per Scullin's nitology.com website, SLU is on the bubble and out. He's showing 6 other teams ahead of SLU in this category. Missouri is in the same categrory and a few notches ahead of us. The problem is the conference winners,Toledo, E Tenn St., So. Alabama among others, getting the automatic bid. He was 95% accurate last year in making his predictions. Doesn't bode well for us. Reviewing our RPI since 1999, including this year, the average RPI over this span is about 92-- a far cry from Father Biondi's promised Top 50 program. I guess we can "hope" for a better result next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Time Billiken Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Woo hoo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Area Billiken Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 I can't get that nitology.com website right now. Maybe there's more interest in the NIT than many think. If the RPI is the most objective tool, and if the RPI at kenpom.com is accurate, then at least as of the completion of last night's games, SLU had the 2nd to last NIT spot with its RPI of 74. Maybe this is false hope, but it would seem that there should still be hope. The last gremlins: 1. We need North Carolina to beat NC State in the ACC final. Right now that is happening. 2. We need Texas A&M Corpus Christi to beat Northwestern State in the Southland final, which is being played right now. Who would have ever thought that the Billikens' fate could rest with Texas A&M Corpus Christi? 3. We need the NIT College of Retired Coaches to do what it claims to do and apply NCAA criteria to determine the field. A number of BCS Conference schools are behind SLU in the RPI and lurk dangerously close to that NIT cut-off: 80 Washington, 90 NC State, 91 LSU, 93 Missouri, 95 Iowa. Also below the cut-off with NIT chances are 76 Providence, 77 Bucknell, and 88 Fresno State. 4. I see that Jack Powers from the old NIT is still on the new committee. The fear there is if he has influence at steering Fordham and/or St. John's into the NIT field, like the old days. On the other hand, the old NIT was very generous to SLU in the past. SLU has been a frequent NIT participant. At this point, I'll take the NIT bid for SLU any way SLU can get it. 5. Former Santa Clara Coach and AD Carroll Williams is on that NIT Committee. There is sentiment out here to give an NIT bid to Santa Clara (RPI 99, 21-10, 2nd Place WCC) an NIT bid. By objective criteria beyond the RPI, SLU should have a chance: strength of schedule 84, 2-4 v. top 50, 6-4 v. 51-100, 5-5 in last 10 games. Dayton (RPI 75) has the last NIT spot right now, and I have to believe that SLU should be considered slightly better than Dayton. I've posted (complained) before about this, but after 3 more NIT bids disappeared yesterday into the "automatic" category, that brings the running total to 8 with 1 day and conference to go (Southland). That is 25% of the entire 32 team NIT field. No, the new NIT is not your old NIT. And look at these NIT automatic bids with their RPI's: 84 Vermont (palatable perhaps, even if RPI is below the cut-off line) 94 Toledo 104 Marist 118 Austin Peay 119 Delaware State 123 East Tennessee State 127 South Alabama 200 Mississippi Valley State Does anyone think that a team with an RPI of 200 has any business playing in a post-season tournament? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRUESLU Posted March 11, 2007 Author Share Posted March 11, 2007 Bay Area--I agree with your sentiment and several of your points. Regretably Scullins has Washington, NC State, Iowa, and Providence in-- I forgot to mention previously UMass is in as a 5 seed-go figure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 >1. We need North Carolina to beat NC State in the ACC >final. Right now that is happening. After beating 3 top 40 teams in 3 days and pushing a top 5 team to the brink, I think NC State will make the NIT despite their RPI ranking. They are playing unbelievable basketball right now. >RPI and lurk dangerously close to that NIT cut-off: 80 >Washington, 90 NC State, 91 LSU, 93 Missouri, 95 Iowa. Until the perception of the A-10 changes, teams with deserving resumes will get snubbed to make room for BCS teams. If we were still in the old CUSA and had the same RPI and record against the top 100, we'd be in. > >84 Vermont (palatable perhaps, even if RPI is below the >cut-off line) >94 Toledo >104 Marist >118 Austin Peay >119 Delaware State >123 East Tennessee State >127 South Alabama >200 Mississippi Valley State > >Does anyone think that a team with an RPI of 200 has any >business playing in a post-season tournament? Sure. There's talented players in the SWAC that deserve air time too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Area Billiken Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 I fear you will be correct re NC State. The powers will say that the NC State point guard was injured this year, and that the team is playing much better now. Of course, we can counter than Kevin Lisch was injured this year too. Will anyone listen? I was not trying to single out the SWAC per se. My issue is with letting a team with an RPI of 200 into the NIT, irrespective of the conference. FYI- I once saw Purvis Short of Jackson State light up the then Quincy College Memorial Gym, including hitting a near half-court jump shot in a truly incredible performance. So I definitely agree that there are good players in that league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Area Billiken Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 That's my fear right there- Providence, Washington, Iowa, and NC State in over SLU, with a couple of other gremlins lurking too. That's where the old NIT gerrymandering comes into play. There used to be 40 NIT bids. With this new rule and the reduction in the field to 32, there were only 24 NIT at large bids as of this morning. That is a very significant reduction. I fear SLU is out. I hope not. I was trying to state SLU's case with my Billiken Blue tainted lenses. Another thing that used to be in SLU's favor was the access to a major airport on short notice (Lambert Field), especially for say a Monday night game. But with all the flight reductions at Lambert Field, that plus may well be gone too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Area Billiken Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 and NC State loses. Finally, some good news comes from elsewhere. But is it too late? So a case can be made that SLU should receive one of the 24 NIT at large bids. I remain a Doubting Thomas on that, but at least SLU has an objective argument over the BCS schools that are pursuing those last NIT at large bids. We will know in about 4 1/2 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRUESLU Posted March 11, 2007 Author Share Posted March 11, 2007 I dunno Bay Area--cant see two A 10 schools in. UMass wins 8 of last 10, marquee win over Louisville, and 13 spots ahead of us in RPI. In the old days when the NIT needed to count on good turnouts/attendance for revenue, we'd have a better chance. Hope your optimism prevails. On the whole a disappointing season- real chance for wins on the road against UMass and Houston, and those losses to Duquesne and St Bonny still hurt. Not to pick on one player but Ian's inconsistent play the key IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Area Billiken Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 IMO there is no question that UMass is in the NIT. I'm afraid SLU is out, but I hope, believe me I hope, that I am wrong re that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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