Note: This is Part VII of our seven-part NIT Final Four preview. Parts I, II, III, and V are also written blogposts. Parts IV and VI are episodes of our podcast, Free Hoops.
- Part I: The Programs
- Part II: The Schools
- Part III: The Coaches
- Part IV: Free Hoops! (expert commentary)
- Part V: The Players
- Part VI: Free Hoops! (head coach interviews)
- Part VII: Final Thoughts Before It All Goes Down
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It’s almost time for tip-off, and really, I only have one thought remaining:
The NIT is everything that is good about college basketball.
I mean it.
I’m not denying that changing times have hit the NIT hard. The tournament’s had rough patches before, but widespread opt-outs, the departure from Madison Square Garden, and farcical but nonetheless effective competition are a tough trio to face down. Last year’s Indiana State run was a godsend for the NIT, a dose of purely positive momentum which made for a pleasant offseason. But while this year’s features no local underdog with a cult hero starting at the five, it’s been a college basketball fan’s college basketball tournament. Here’s what I mean:
Transfers are prevalent among these four teams, but they’re pieces of a larger program identity which transcends this season. They’re not mercenaries. They’re players who’ve used their natural rights to find an optimal fit.
NIL shenanigans are minimal among these programs. It’s not NIL that’s a problem elsewhere. It’s the shenanigans which accompany it. These programs don’t engage in those games. If they did, they’d be off trying to win the offseason, like those who opt out of opportunities to win real basketball games.
The thing sports fans love about college basketball is the NCAA T*urnament. You could put any 64 or 68 or 76 teams in it, and the sports world would lap it up. The thing college basketball fans love about college basketball is programs like these four, programs where the head coach is an institution and the players play for one another. Even at North Texas, where most of the rotation consists of one-and-done transfers and the head coach is leaving for West Virginia, this team embodies an identity which stretches back eight years. In sports, eight years is a long time. No, these programs aren’t iconic, like Duke and UCLA. But even at their best, Duke and UCLA have only been the tip of the college basketball pyramid. The body of the sport has always been teams like these.
So, before the ball is tipped, let’s tip the bucket hat to North Texas, and to UC Irvine, and to Loyola Chicago, and to Chattanooga. We’ve got a coach coaching even though his replacement’s been named. We’ve got a coach coaching even though he’s got a three-week-old baby at home. We’ve got grad students and seniors playing the last American basketball of their careers. We’ve got rising ambitious underdogs and a recent anchor of mid-major basketball making one last hurrah before transition hits this month.
Yesterday, Russ Turner made the point that the NIT’s become a lot nicer for the teams since the NCAA took over in the mid-2000’s. Dan Earl made the point that, in this opt-out world, everybody who chose to play in this NIT really wants to play basketball. Ross Hodge spoke with pride about his team keeping its focus where its feet are. Drew Valentine spoke about the relationships which come from being on a team.
The NIT has seen better days and worse days. It’s mostly seen different days. These are good teams. These are teams who love basketball. This is an NIT that’s about basketball. These are good days for the NIT. If college basketball wants to learn from that, great. But even if it doesn’t, we’ve got a great night ahead of us tonight and a landmark championship on Thursday.
Bona NIT.
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