Twitter user and evident Purdue fan “Cradle Of Quarter Bots” made a great point yesterday: The Big Ten rocks. He then made another great point: The ACC sucks.
Since 2000, the year Michigan State won the exhibition tournament everyone’s so enamored with, the NIT title count by conference goes as follows:
- Big Ten: 5
- Big East: 3
- Big 12: 3
- Atlantic 10: 2
- Pac-12: 2
- SEC: 2
- American: 1
- Missouri Valley: 1
- Conference USA: 1
- WAC: 1
Everybody else? Zero. And everybody else includes the ACC.
The obvious takeaway here is that the ACC is getting way too much benefit of the doubt from the NCA* *********t committee when it comes to the bubble. Big Ten teams who make the NIT are better than ACC teams who make the NIT. But we aren’t here to talk about losers like the NCA* *********t committee. We’re here to talk about losers like the ACC.
(Sorry, quick mention that society doesn’t appreciate enough what Stanford did these last twenty years: No other team from west of the mountains has won it all. Stanford did it twice. Oh, and yes: These were conferences at the time the title was won. So Memphis counts as Conference USA once and as the American once. Oh and also the vacated St. John’s title isn’t vacated here. No vacations at The Barking Crow.)
The ACC is a mid-major basketball conference, if you can even call it that. No NIT titles? And no West Coast excuse, like that of the West Coast Conference, which is literally named after the furthest place from New York in the continental United States? That’s low-major talk to me. Wonder if any ACC schools might leave soon for the Sun Belt. Heard it’s on the rise.
This does cast UNC’s attempt at a title in a new light. The last ACC school to win it all was Wake Forest, in 2000. Before that? Virginia Tech, if you count them. They were still in the Metro Conference when they won it, one year away from joining the A-10 and five years away from joining the Big East in all sports and ten years away from finally finding a home in the ACC, from which they made and lost a sterling four straight NITs without reaching New York City, all under Seth Greenberg. UNC is working off a big drought here. A drought equivalent to the Big Ten’s in that other contest.
It also casts Mike Krzyzewski’s career in a new light. Not because he would’ve won an NIT—he never had a team of that quality aside from maybe in 2021, but they were cowards so probably not—but because if you’re looking for the source of something nefarious over the last twenty years in college hoops, it’s probably Coach K, especially if that something concerns the ACC. The ACC getting overselected for the NCA* *********t? Yeah, that’s Coach K. That’s all Coach K.
So, good luck to the Tar Heels, and to the Tigers and Deacs and even the old Metro Conference’s beloved Hokies. Good luck to the Panthers, and to the Wolfpack, and if there are miracles in this world to the Blue Devils. You’re up against history, kids. And history rarely loses.
UNC, Wisconsin
Opening my heart: I want UNC and Wisconsin in this NIT. Both of them. I’m cheering for every other bubble team right now to win games so UNC and Wisconsin get pushed down. That’s what’s best for me, that’s what I want, apologies to others I love (Texas Tech, even) but this is about me right now, and I want UNC and Wisconsin.
Now.
UNC didn’t hurt themselves too badly last night. It was a missed opportunity for a bad loss, but they looked horrible, so they definitely didn’t help themselves. Also, Virginia’s loss to Boston College is massive for us. Beating UVA in Chapel Hill should not be a season-saving win anymore. UVA is 34th in KenPom. UVA is 21st in NET. UVA wasn’t on that other tournament’s committee’s top four lines even before this loss. UNC will not move the needle on Saturday in a way that leaves us dusted. It could be bad for us, but it won’t end our hopes.
Wisconsin, similarly, did something counterproductive (they won) but fine (it was at home, and it was against Iowa, who honestly we would also like in the NIT but we don’t feel great about getting them). It was a pretty good overall performance from Wisconsin, so long as you didn’t watch, like how I didn’t because I was watching UNC. We need help with the Badgers. Right now, I’m putting their win target at 1. If we can keep them to just one more win, I think we have them, but that could be tough. They do still play Minnesota, and they might get them again in Indy (I’m making a lot of assumptions on conference tournament locations these days, but please don’t correct me if I’m wrong—just let me figure out my own poor memory).
Vandy! No!!
A Vanderbilt alum came into our comments recently to tell us that a school with the seventh-highest median parent income in Division I gets “no respect,” and we of course empathize. I hate it when those kids at UAB have things handed to them.
Anyway, the guy asked who they had to beat, and I said Grambling, because they lost to Grambling, but then they lost to LSU last night to give LSU its first SEC win of the year so now let’s say LSU.
We aren’t anti-Vanderbilt. But we know our worth, and they have to prove they’re good enough for us, just like anybody else. Take note.
Could Boston College…You Know…?
I really don’t think Boston College can make this NIT, but the NIT committee is a bunch of retired college basketball lifers, so there’s a wild card element. Which is why we rarely say never. Godspeed, Eagles. No harm in hope.
Aaron Rodgers’s Retreat Sounds Cozy
Xuan Thai did a big story over at ESPN on the specifics of Sky Cave, the facility where Aaron Rodgers finished his darkness retreat this week. Honestly, it sounds pretty nice, especially when you see the pictures of it in the snow-covered woods. Scott Berman, the man who runs it, comes across as a thoughtful and kind man in the article, more focused on the value of contemplation than any hallucinogenic-esque effects. Whereas Rodgers has sometimes come across as being into the extremeness side of drugs, Berman sounds monk-like. Does that mean anything for the Packers? I really don’t know. I’m not going to be the guy who talks about the gigantic snowstorm in Oregon as God’s sign to Rodgers that he should stay in the wintry warmth of Green Bay. Not today.
Pat Bev Forever
I didn’t know Pat Beverley talking polish sausage could get me so fired up.
The Sens Got Rid of Zaitsev
The Senators traded a second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick (that’s a problem for Future Sens) to Chicago yesterday for the right to get rid of Nikita Zaitsev, opening up financial space to presumably acquire a better defender here as the deadline looms. It was about time, but we’ll always have the memory of when his dad thought a Bruce Garrioch meme account was the real Bruce Garrioch and tried to fight it.
IndyCar Gets Into Shrub
I like that they aren’t billing this as a plant. They’re billing it as a “shrub.” From the Associated Press:
In IndyCar’s effort toward environmental sustainability, one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers will rely on a desert shrub to produce a new source of natural rubber for its tires.
Bridgestone Americas said Thursday it has used the offseason to incorporate more sustainable and bio-circular materials into its tires this season. That made it possible for Firestone to provide tires with rubber derived from the guayule desert shrub at all five street circuits of the 17-race IndyCar season.
It’s cool, we aren’t against it, we just think it’s funny that they had to get the word “shrub” in there. It isn’t just a plant, guys. It’s a shrub.
**
The menu tonight:
9:00 PM EST: USC @ Colorado (ESPN2)
It’s the Game of the NITe, and it’s volatile. Colorado’s been all over the place all season, USC’s starting the fabled high-altitude road trip, Colorado’s in the thick of our territory and USC’s holding on to the upper bubble. Drama.
6:30 PM EST: Penn State @ Ohio State (FS1)
Ohio State’s likely done, already clinching a losing record to enter the Big Ten Tournament, but Penn State’s still fighting, and we aren’t letting them go. They’re more a risk to miss high than low, friends, although to be honest: We’d trade them or USC or pretty much anyone for UNC and Wisconsin.
11:00 PM EST: UCLA @ Utah (FS1)
There’s a chance Utah wins this game and wins the NIT and UCLA wins the other tournament. We always love when that happens. (I need to go back and see if that’s every happened.)
8:30 PM EST: Michigan @ Rutgers (FS1)
More bubble boys! Hunter Dickinson and the Wolverines aren’t as good at basketball as they’re supposed to be, but they could still get away. Slam that scarlet drawbridge, Knights.
11:00 PM EST: Washington State @ Stanford (P12N)
Wazzu’s picking up a little bit of steam, and if they can close out these next three—Stanford, Cal, Washington, all on the road—they should make our field. If they don’t, they’ll have work to do at the Pac-12 Tournament. Where is that, by the way? Vegas? Are they trying to copy the NIT?
7:00 PM EST: Memphis @ Wichita State (ESPN2)
Memphis is really getting away from us, but they’ve got a tough finishing slate and Kendric Davis is banged up if he’s even active. Plenty of time, folks. Plenty of time.
7:00 PM EST: North Texas @ Charlotte (ESPN+)
North Texas is doing the same thing they did last year, which is to post great numbers but a vanilla résumé and not really have a chance to miss the NIT but put themselves in a spot where they should have a chance to miss the NIT but they don’t, and if they lose in the Conference USA Tournament they’re definitely coming to us.
We’ll be watching closely.
Another who could conceivably push UNC and Wisconsin out.
10:00 PM EST: Pepperdine @ Santa Clara (WCCN)
It’s a black out game in Santa Clara as the Broncs try to push their way to safety on the NIT/CBI bubble.
7:30 PM EST: Rice @ UAB (ESPN+)
Very similar story here, but swap UAB for Santa Clara and Blazers for Broncs and wipe out that part about the black out.
They should have a fire out at UAB games. Everyone comes lit on fire. Like they were just breathed on by a dragon.
9:00 PM EST: Washington @ Cal (P12N)
Washington needs to pummel Cal here. The NIT isn’t out of reach if they win by enough, but it needs to be a lot of points.
7:00 PM EST: Towson @ College of Charleston (CBSSN)
Explicit mid-major fans are losing their shit over this one.
Oh wow.
I am so sorry.
I swear I know who Hofstra is I just gave up caffeine for Lent.
Ok, not as big as it was in my head, but Towson’s still a solid team (in this context) and Charleston’s still trying to keep pace with Hofstra, who beat them head to head. Charleston’s also trying to keep pace with us. But it probably can only lose one more time from here, and it needs that to be in Washington, which I really hope is where the CAA Tournament is but I do not trust myself on that.
7:30 PM EST: Cal Baptist @ Sam Houston State (ESPN+)
8:00 PM EST: Utah Valley @ Tarleton State (ESPN+)
More confident here: The WAC marches on. Collision course between SHSU and UVU, both of which feel like names in a college basketball computer game in the 90s that didn’t have licensing rights and played it a little too safe with their “generic” schools.
9:00 PM EST: Eastern Washington @ Weber State (ESPN+)
Who here knows our history with Weber State? Most of you? Good. For those who don’t, just call Weber State the Beekeepers and circle back to us later.
Eastern Washington’s still undefeated in the Big Sky and has a great crack at an NIT auto-bid. At the same time! Do you understand how impressive that is?
10:00 PM EST: UC-San Diego @ UC-Irvine (ESPN+)
10:00 PM EST: Long Beach State @ UC-Santa Barbara (ESPN+)
12:00 AM EST: UC-Riverside @ Hawaii (ESPN+)
Here are the Big West standings, at the top:
- UC-Irvine: 13–3
- UC-Riverside: 12–5
- UC-Santa Barbara: 11–5
- Hawaii: 11–5
Also, Joe Kelly went to UC-Riverside and Kamaka Hepa’s at Hawaii, so we have to watch.
8:00 PM EST: Oral Roberts @ South Dakota (ESPN+)
Oral Roberts tries to stay undefeated in the Summit League.
7:00 PM EST: UTSA @ Florida Atlantic (ESPN+)
FAU stares down a potential horrific loss. (This would be effective, this would help FAU a lot with us.)
9:00 PM EST: Cleveland State @ Green Bay (ESPN+)
Cleveland State looks to draw even with Youngstown State atop the Horizon League.
7:00 PM EST: Stonehill @ Wagner (NECFR)
7:00 PM EST: Central Connecticut State @ Merrimack (NECFR)
7:00 PM EST: Fairleigh Dickinson @ St. Francis-PA (ESPN3)
And to wrap things up: We remain fascinated by the NEC, where Stonehill isn’t eligible for NCAA postseason play or the NEC Tournament, Merrimack is eligible for the NEC Tournament but not NCAA postseason play, and the standings currently look like this:
- Merrimack: 10–4
- Stonehill: 10–5
- Fairleigh Dickinson: 9–5
God knows what their tiebreakers are, but it does appear everyone will have played the same number of games (16) by the time this is all said and done, as you would hope they would.
