There are a lot of reasons why Wichita State shouldn’t win the NIT, with the biggest one being that at this moment, they aren’t good enough. It’s been since 2003 that an NIT champion finished the season ranked worse than 60th by KenPom, and even that team—St. John’s—was 67th, better than Wichita State’s current standing of 69th.
And yet…
With yesterday’s beating of Tulsa, Isaac Brown has the Shockers near the top of the AAC, with a flawless résumé that includes no win better than the one over Mississippi and no loss worse than the home defeat by Mizzou. Counting only Division I games, they’re 6-3 overall, and there’s little risk of them missing the NIT on the high side, at least right now.
So while it’s certainly a longshot, it’s fair to ask the question, especially if you too feel that hint of foreshadow in the January air.
Other notes:
- Texas A&M came back from a ten-point halftime deficit to hand Mississippi State a bad loss in Starkville. The SEC giveth. The SEC taketh away.
- Rhode Island dropped one on the road against UMass, further delaying (and potentially canceling) URInation’s reunion with the NIT picture.
- Florida State played one of the best offensive games in that team’s history, destroying NC State and making a clear statement that they are not an NIT team. “They” being Florida State. NC State is very much an NIT team right now.
- San Diego State plays at Utah State tonight in a Mountain West showdown that could bring us all closer to the field of 32.
- Also out west, BYU and St. Mary’s are working the late shift, tipping at 8 PM local in Moraga. NIT Game of the Year of the Night, if not the whole day.
