“If you get hot, you must get cool.” – Inner Circle, “Bad Boys”
The Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic is sensational, and I mean that in every sense of the word (especially the “very good indeed; very impressive or attractive” definition). As we noted yesterday in this space, it has everything an NIT fan could want, namely a cool court, a sparsely populated locale, NIT-relevant teams, and a hilarious self-aware sponsor.
Let’s break down what we’re working with, as the final day is upon us:
West Virginia: Nothing of interest here. Carry on, Bob.
Western Kentucky: Ok, here we go. We have, of course, Rick Stansbury. We have, of course, Big Red. But we also have a team surging from CBI-land into NIT-land on the back of two fine victories against underwhelming teams. The Hilltoppers are aimed directly at a perceived snub landing them in the NIT and a bunch of mid-major-lovers flipping their everloving shit on Twitter. Exactly what we’re about.
Memphis: In the third place game, we’ve got the Memphis Tigers, a Penny Hardaway-coached bunch of pretty good but not really good players. Again, we love this. Give us all the high-ceiling programs yo-yoing between ceiling and floor.
VCU: I don’t know who coaches VCU. I don’t know a single player’s name. I don’t know what style of play they’re employing these days. What I do know is that they’re not a contender in the A-10 but will probably have a pretty good conference record, which means Joe better be ready for angry VCU fans in our NIT Bracketology’s comment section come March 1st.
Saint Mary’s: Big comeback yesterday for the Gaels, following a thoroughly impotent showing on Thursday. They’ll be back in a year or two, but before they’re back, we’ll take them battling it out for a six-seed, fiercely trying to avoid a CBI moment of truth.
South Dakota State: The belles of the ball. Just stomped Utah State. Stomped them. And held their own against West Virginia. Gonna be a popular Cinderella pick in NIT pools everywhere when the boys lay an egg in the Summit League tournament.
Northern Iowa: Northern Iowa people, I am so sorry. You had it so good last year. You had one of the first NIT bids locked up. And even after the WKU loss we weren’t too concerned, but then you did that thing you did against Texas A&M in 2016 except this time it was much more important because it was in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic. Not a bad rest of the nonconference schedule, but better beat the fellow bubble team if you want an invitation to the dance party (that’s the NIT we’re calling the NIT the dance party go with it).
Utah State: Utah State people, I am not at all sorry. And I don’t know why. Just don’t like you guys. Looking to find a reason to rip on you if you’re in the NIT this year. I don’t know if you’ll do this, but it feels like you’ll cry foul if you even make the NIT.
Other NIT notes for today:
- Is Purdue in our orbit again? You never know with these guys. But that loss to Clemson has the people bumping.
- UCLA is in our orbit again! After looking shineless against San Diego State and giving JP Macura more ammunition in his continuing battle to keep his personal rivalries with Cincinnati and specifically Mick Cronin alive, the Bruins have a risky trip to Malibu today to play Pepperdine. Get the doomsday siren ready. They’re headed our way.
- Speaking of Xavier, the Musketeers hosted their own “invitational” with a bunch of mediocre and bad teams, then almost lost to Bradley yesterday. Today, a hyped (not hyped) showdown with the Toledo Rockets, who are not your 2019 Toledo Rockets.
- Speaking of teams’ own events not going well, Kansas State follows up their ten-point loss to Drake with what will probably be an evisceration at the hands of the Buffaloes in the Little Apple Classic finale.
- Finally, Seton Hall visits Louisville, which won’t get the losing team talking about the NIT but probably should.
Much love, friends.
