NIT Acceptance

[Kitaman]

When you have 4 Championships, why not have some fun and embrace the NIT for one season?

Who the cares? We are rebuilding and can just go out and stomp the field. How many 2015 NCAA Tourney teams have multiple championships? I forget the year but the recent 1st/2nd round loss to Iowa State (?) was not a good feeling.

Perhaps a strong showing in the NIT will be better than a 1st/2nd round NCAA loss for this squad. Our kids need confidence and need to go into next season on a high. Especially losing our leader for the 2nd straight year.

Plus Ollie gets more opportunity to work this group, and Purvis a real chance to turn the corner. Brimah and Nolan need the work, and certainly Omar and TSam. Hell Facey and Lubin will get some more work as a team instead of waiting for 6 months. Imagine DHam averaging double digits in points/boards. I'm just saying there's a lot to gain from this extra 'little' Tourney, and there are some decent teams in it. And we have rings and NCAA Trophies galore, every fan here has experienced at least one Championship feeling and 'One Shining Moment' which is much more than the average fan.

Lets put the NIT Tourney negatives (or stigma if you will) aside and enjoy Boat and his shipmates one last time. We can excited, because "we can", if that makes sense. If we don's show excitement at Gampel, perhaps the team won't either, which is unfair to Boat. We all know that they feed off of us.

Also Yale was not selected so we have no team to fear!

So who's with me encouraging/cheering this team on to a NIT Trophy?

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

When you have 4 Championships, why not have some fun and embrace the NIT for one season?

Who the cares? We are rebuilding and can just go out and stomp the field. How many 2015 NCAA Tourney teams have multiple championships? I forget the year but the recent 1st/2nd round loss to Iowa State (?) was not a good feeling.

Perhaps a strong showing in the NIT will be better than a 1st/2nd round NCAA loss for this squad. Our kids need confidence and need to go into next season on a high. Especially losing our leader for the 2nd straight year.

Plus Ollie gets more opportunity to work this group, and Purvis a real chance to turn the corner. Brimah and Nolan need the work, and certainly Omar and TSam. Hell Facey and Lubin will get some more work as a team instead of waiting for 6 months. Imagine DHam averaging double digits in points/boards. I'm just saying there's a lot to gain from this extra 'little' Tourney, and there are some decent teams in it. And we have rings and NCAA Trophies galore, every fan here has experienced at least one Championship feeling and 'One Shining Moment' which is much more than the average fan.

Lets put the NIT Tourney negatives (or stigma if you will) aside and enjoy Boat and his shipmates one last time. We can excited, because "we can", if that makes sense. If we don's show excitement at Gampel, perhaps the team won't either, which is unfair to Boat. We all know that they feed off of us.

Also Yale was not selected so we have no team to fear!

So who's with me encouraging/cheering this team on to a NIT Trophy?

I bought two tickets yesterday! I'm 10 toes in!

 

[gampelcrazies]

I bought two tickets yesterday! I'm 10 toes in!

Me too

 

[Brochacho]

Notable 2014 NIT teams that made 2015 NCAA field.
SMU: NIT 1 seed to NCAA 6 seed.
Arkansas: NIT 3 seed to NCAA 5 seed.
LSU: NIT 5 seed to NCAA 9 seed.
St. John's: NIT 1 seed to NCAA 9 seed.
Georgia: NIT 2 seed to NCAA 10 seed.
Georgetown: NIT 4 seed to NCAA 4 seed.
West Virginia: NIT 5 seed to NCAA 5 seed.
Utah: NIT 5 seed to NCAA 5 seed.
Davidson: NIT 7 seed to NCAA 10 seed.

 

[ConnZag3]

Arguably getting some of the first experience in the NCAA with the 30 second shot clock in the NIT could be a blessing going forward. It's only a matter of time before the 30 second clock becomes permanent imo. Can't understand how the women have played with 30 seconds for years but the supposedly more athletic and skilled men need 35 seconds.

 

[freescooter]

I say just end it. It isn't 1980 any more and we are long past getting excited about a second rate event. Plus you don't want the players to get any idea that the NIT is acceptable in any way, shape or form. Just go home and start fresh in October.

 

[Kembacity]

I say just end it. It isn't 1980 any more and we are long past getting excited about a second rate event. Plus you don't want the players to get any idea that the NIT is acceptable in any way, shape or form. Just go home and start fresh in October.

wow, what a turd opinion... Just shut it down? Please quit the group and just start rooting for Kentucky

 

[scrappy2.0]

I say just end it. It isn't 1980 any more and we are long past getting excited about a second rate event. Plus you don't want the players to get any idea that the NIT is acceptable in any way, shape or form. Just go home and start fresh in October.

Is there even 1 team ever who has said no to the NIT? These are really good teams in this tourney--this is the basis of how this college started getting good. No one would ever consider this train of thought.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I'm going to watch the games and hopefully see them play in person at the Garden if they make a run.

The extra game(s) will be good for the players as well.

However, make no mistake, a first round loss is preferable to an NIT Championship when you are a program on our level.

Since that isn't on the table, let's go out and win this thing.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Obviously I wish we were in the NCAAs, don't even care if we were a 13 seed f0r fuqs sake. No one wants to play UConn in the Big Dance. That being said, I agree we have to take the NIT seriously. It's tough tho b/c I want to see Boat go out with another title, I want to see our younger guys get some valuable playing time together like the Temple game at XL when Boat was hurt. 30 sec shot clock def a bonus.

 

[8893]

My question re the NIT is how much to play Boat, versus starting to prepare for next season without Boat.

 

[sammydabiz]

The NIT is like a fat chick.........

When you don't have any suitors, you're happy to be in it....... But you're not necessarily bragging about it either.

 

[Jerry1714]

I say just end it. It isn't 1980 any more and we are long past getting excited about a second rate event. Plus you don't want the players to get any idea that the NIT is acceptable in any way, shape or form. Just go home and start fresh in October.

UK went to the NIT and lost to Bobby Morris. A year later they played in the title game.

UNC went to the NIT after winning the title, went to the E8 the following year.

Those players and programs sure got the idea that the NIT is acceptable.

I forgot what the worst part of losing is, it is you showing up again.

 

[Dooley]

I hope our players absolutely take this tournament seriously. Would love to see the NIT be a coming out party of sorts for Purvis/Hamilton. Get those 2 some confidence for next season. As mentioned by other posters above, other NCAAB heavyweights have used the NIT as a building block towards a deep tourney run the following season. No reason we can't do the same.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

UK went to the NIT and lost to Bobby Morris. A year later they played in the title game.

UNC went to the NIT after winning the title, went to the E8 the following year.

Those players and programs sure got the idea that the NIT is acceptable.

I forgot what the worst part of losing is, it is you showing up again.

Another chance for me to play "Guess the Ignored"

 

[ConnHuskBask]

My question re the NIT is how much to play Boat, versus starting to prepare for next season without Boat.

I don't think anything will or should change.

I think it would be a disservice to the program and Boat.

It's about playing more games, winning and getting experience.

Not about limiting your best player's minutes and losing to Arizona State at home just to give Samuel more burn to prepare for next season.

 

[mauconnfan]

Went to the Detroit game years ago and sat behind the bench. Never saw such an unenthused looking team before. I agree, why not. But I would never go nor would I ever et on a UConn team who has nothing to win vs teams who would love to beat a program with UC's reputation.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I hope there are enough people here that remember that our gateway to success in the NCAAs followed our great NIT victory in 1988 (which also lead to some great parties on campus). Calhoun's teams went to the NIT several times. This is not a death sentence. It's an opportunity.

 

[Husky25]

I say just end it. It isn't 1980 any more and we are long past getting excited about a second rate event. Plus you don't want the players to get any idea that the NIT is acceptable in any way, shape or form. Just go home and start fresh in October.

We should pull this thread back up when the football team goes 6-6 next year and gets a bid to the St. Petersburg Bowl (or other crappy bid). After all it's a 2nd rate event. They should get rid of all bowls except the Rose Bowl and National Championship Playoff. Long past being excited for that. Don't want the kids thinking that's acceptable. Just go home and aim fresh for the Humanitarian Bowl next year.

 

[Dooley]

We should pull this thread back up when the football team goes 6-6 next year and gets a bid to the St. Petersburg Bowl (or other crappy bid). After all it's a 2nd rate event. They should get rid of all bowls except the Rose Bowl and National Championship Playoff. Long past being excited for that. Don't want the kids thinking that's acceptable. Just go home and aim fresh for the Humanitarian Bowl next year.

Was going to allude to the same point myself. You never turn down extra practices and games at the college level. Never.

 

[8893]

I don't think anything will or should change.

I think it would be a disservice to the program and Boat.

It's about playing more games, winning and getting experience.

Not about limiting your best player's minutes and losing to Arizona State at home just to give Samuel more burn to prepare for next season.

Easy, Hoss. I'm not saying to throw the opener and make it a glorified practice. I'm just suggesting that maybe Boat doesn't have to play 40 minutes like he has been.

Went to the Detroit game years ago and sat behind the bench. Never saw such an unenthused looking team before. I agree, why not. But I would never go nor would I ever get on a UConn team who has nothing to win vs teams who would love to beat a program with UC's reputation.

I went to the Detroit game too; and I was on campus in '88 when we won the NIT. It was partly the fond memories of '88 that motivated me to attend that Detroit game (IIRC, it would also have been JC's 600th victory--if we won), but I agree that that was not an experience that makes me want to attend another NIT game.

 

[CTBasketball]

Kita you've convinced me. I don't want boat to go yet

 

[Joobie]

Okay...so we didn't want to be here playing in the NIT (AKA the Not Important Tournament), but here we are. I say, let's support this team who played their hearts out over the weekend. I'm gonna be there! Who's with me?

 

[djct1999]

Outside of DHam and Purvis to a lesser extent, this team just experienced playing in the Final Four and winning the entire thing. After this season and how mentally taxing it was, I see very little, if any, good that will come from the NIT. I have read how teams use this as a catapult to future NCAA success. Tell me, how many of those programs have 4 titles?

 

[8893]

As an aside, I just discovered that I have apparently spent enough time online that I have somehow inadvertently earned a degree from ASU. So, I guess I have divided loyalties here.