Ags looking up for NIT first round
It’s not the NCAA Tournament, but it is the postseason.
That’s the way the USU men’s basketball team is looking at Wednesday’s 8 p.m. National Invitation Tournament game when they visit the Illinois State Redbirds.
“When you look at the whole scheme of things from when we were 5-5 (earlier this season), this team has come a long way,” Aggie head coach Stew Morrill said. “It’s the first time we’ve finished at the top (of the Western Athletic Conference). There’s lots of positives, and those are the things we’ll stress with the kids. You have to look at the big picture and get excited that we can still play.”
The Aggies are the No. 7 seed, the Redbirds the No. 2.
Illinois State finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 13-5 league record. They played in the MVC championship game, losing 79-49 to Drake.
With a Ratings Percentage Index of 33, the Redbirds were on the NCAA Tournament bubble with their loss in their conference title game. The Aggies’ RPI is 71-ahead of WAC Tournament champion Boise State, who is 87.
Morrill said he has plenty of respect for ISU.
“Obviously (the Redbirds were) on the bubble and thinking they were in the NCAA Tournament,” Morrill said. “When you have a little time to reflect, you realize how many good basketball teams there are out there … Obviously a big challenge to go to Illinois State. We know what we’re up against.”
The Aggies’ challenge
When the Aggies are in the running for the NCAA Tournament, the team gathers to watch the Tournament Selection Show, broadcast the Sunday following all conference tournaments, at 4 p.m.
Even though they knew they were automatically in the NIT by winning the regular season WAC title, no party was held for the NIT selection show on ESPN2.
“Never done that for the NIT,” Morrill said. “We’ve always done it for the NCAA. The NIT seems a little more anticlimactic.”
Last year the Aggies played at Michigan in the first round of the NIT, losing 68-58. Overall, the Aggies are 2-8 in NIT games, and have lost the last seven.
USU’s most recent NIT victory was in 1960 against St. Bonaventure.
Because the NIT lacks the luster of the NCAAs, some players lose the desire to keep playing, Carroll said.
“You get to the end of the seasons, and some kids are ready to be done and ready for the pressure to be taken off,” Carroll explained. “They’re ready to go on Spring Break and relax a little bit. College basketball is demanding, and they’re ready for that kind of stuff.”
Morrill seconded that.
“Some years we’ve had our hearts set on something else and haven’t gotten over the disappointment (of not making the NCAAs),” Morrill said.
Both Morrill and Carroll said the Aggies won’t have that kind of attitude Wednesday night in Redbird Arena.
“Luckily this year and this team isn’t that kind of a team,” Carroll said. “We’ve got a really good group of guys that I think are in a good mindset and will come ready to practice and to learn what we need to do to beat them. There are so many freshmen, and it’s exciting as a freshman to play in the postseason.”
Boise State’s No. 14 seed
Morrill wasn’t surprised by the Boise State Broncos receiving a No. 14 seed for the NCAA Tournament.
“That’s about what I thought would happen,” Morrill said. “This dang RPI is determining everything. When you look at the computer stuff, that’s where they would end up. I think they’re better than that. Obviously a tremendous challenge for them to play Louisville. We’ve been in that boat many times.”
The Aggies and Broncos are the only WAC teams to be in a postseason tournament.
-samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu