Basketball-only notes today, so apologies to the NASCAR fans in the room, but the Chili Bowl Nationals talk will have to wait until tomorrow.
NIT BRACKETOLOGY THOUGHTS
Why are these basketball-only notes? Well, we got our first NIT Bracketology of the season a little bit ago, and it is lit. My personal thoughts:
- Six ACC bids is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen and also leaves me slightly disappointed. Fourteen, guys. Fourteen. Find a way.
- Evidently a Big Ten team could make it?
- Iona’s in there and I am terrified for my earthly life.
- That Florida/UCF/Miami region is great, and we could conceivably add Florida State with just a little wiggling.
- Our favorite, San Francisco, is nowhere to be seen, which is a good gag. Come on back down, Dons. We know you’re hungry.
- Virginia, check.
- Shaka Smart (who won last night, eat it, haters) is above the NIT??
- Buzz Williams, check.
- Kyle “Moneyball” Smith, check.
- Boise State, check.
- Are Fresno State and Stanford the two most different schools within 200 miles of each other?
Wow. Don’t know when the next update is coming but this was awesome. I’m exhilarated.
Game of the NITe
Another great thing about having the bracketology running? We can now add a little note next to each team’s name like they’re a congressperson except it’s where they stand relative to the NIT. Will I keep remembering to do this? I don’t know. But I’m at least doing it today!
Notre Dame (5-Seed) hosts Clemson (High Bubble, Close) tonight, and man, this is fun. This is the stuff we dream about. Mike Brey was going around standing on tables yesterday. There’s more than one virus spreading, folks, and the second one is NIT Fever, and South Bend’s got it. Good luck, fellas. And good luck to Clemson, too. Could be a helpful loss.
Other Games of NIT Note
Virginia Tech (1-Seed) goes to Virginia (5-Seed), and is this the biggest game in the history of that rivalry? Memphis (High Bubble, Close-ish) goes to UCF (2-Seed), and all this makes me think of is the fact Memphis missed out on a Big 12 invite yet again, and maybe I should short FedEx stock? Utah State (5-Seed) visits Colorado State (High Bubble, Not That Close), and while that might not sound thrilling, there’s always the chance Colorado State gets addicted to losing. That can happen. I’ve heard of it happening. Are there other big NIT games tonight? Yes. But in a way, every game is a big NIT game right now. Nothing brings to the surface the oneness of humanity like the NIT.
Did Anything Happen Last Night?
Ehh, nothing too big. Shoutout Dayton, you’re doing the right stuff. Just gotta pass 28 more teams in our seed list. Also shoutout Florida State/Miami again the state of Florida is doing work, gang. Not a big DeSantis guy but if his schools get these results…
(Also some are saying Mark Adams was behind any success Chris Beard had in Lubbock but I am not saying that [yet])
