UNLV and Boise State just tipped, which means we should probably talk about whether or not that matters to the NIT.
It might.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s go through the rest of today’s slate:
Games That Have Already Happened Today
Nothing too noteworthy here. Winthrop and Gardner-Webb both winning increases the probability that Radford makes the NIT as an automatic bid, and San Diego State winning means the UNLV/Boise winner will have a chance to prove themselves tomorrow, though it’s questionable how much the committee will care (Hey, here’s a link to our College Basketball Probabilities! What fun).
In other words, you haven’t missed much. But you still can. If you’re into that kind of thing.
Clinchers?
Charleston Southern @ Radford (6:00 PM Eastern)
Lehigh @ Colgate (7:00 PM Eastern)
Stetson @ Liberty (7:00 PM Eastern)
New Mexico @ Utah State (9:00 PM Eastern)
Radford, Colgate, and Liberty all have chances to lock up NIT automatic bids tonight. It isn’t their last chance (for two of those teams, it’s the first chance), but it’s a chance, and we’ll have the siren emoji ready just in case one or more pulls it off.
As for Utah State, one would think a loss to New Mexico would lock up their at-large case about as well as anyone could ask them to. They might want to get another victory, though, for seeding purposes.
Clincher!
North Carolina A&T @ North Carolina Central (7:00 PM Eastern)
Ok, ok, this one isn’t going to lock anyone in. But. The winner is the MEAC regular season champion, and with the MEAC tournament a full three-game affair for the one-seed, it’s very possible whoever wins this game will eventually be NIT-bound. Hope they’ve got the HD cameras ready in Durham. Quality’s important for One Shining MomeNIT.
Big Opportunity, Guys
Houston @ UConn (7:00 PM Eastern)
Washington @ Arizona State (9:00 PM Eastern)
Stanford @ Oregon State (9:00 PM Eastern)
UConn fans have been hounding Joe for weeks (maybe not plural, but certainly more than a week at this point) about what it’d take to get into the NIT. The answer to that is complicated, because of all the moving pieces outside of Storrs, but what UConn can do tonight is vault themselves into our NIT Bracketology’s projected field with a win. I’d imagine. Who knows, though. I might end up being wrong about that.
As for Arizona State and Stanford, time’s running out to earn home losses and avoid road victories. The NIT won’t take just anybody.
A Bubble Game. Kind Of.
Wichita State @ Memphis (9:00 PM Eastern)
Wichita State isn’t dead yet. Memphis isn’t a lock yet. Memphis also doesn’t have the seed they want yet, which is why this is one where we might see some drafting between the teams. You scratch my back, I’ll help you get a second round home game.
BIG SKY AFTER DUSK
Northern Colorado @ Montana (9:00 PM Eastern)
Idaho State @ Eastern Washington (9:05 PM Eastern)
Man. Love the Big Sky. Miss being there. Miss breathing it in.
I’ve never lived west of Austin, but I’ve traveled west of Austin a few times, and let me tell you this:
There are probably people out there paying close attention to both these games tonight.
We can’t say for sure, but it seems like there would be. They like basketball out there, right? As much as the rest of us, at least?
Montana and EWU are tied for the conference lead. Northern Colorado’s a game back. EWU’s a big favorite tonight, and again on Saturday, but they’ve lost twice to Montana, and Montana’s lost once to Northern Colorado already, and Northern Colorado’s lost twice to EWU, so we could be headed for something I like to call “the ol’ NIT roundabout,” where everyone claims they’re the true regular season champion and the conference has to step in and put out a “here’s how the tiebreakers work” article on their website.
We could also just be heading for a normal tiebreaker between Montana and EWU, though.
We’ll see.
Ok Fine We’ll Mention This One Too
Wyoming @ Nevada (11:30 PM Eastern)
We still aren’t sold on Nevada’s NIT case, but our love of Reno and our acknowledgment of some continued grassroots hype for the Wolf Pack earn Steve Alford a mention here. Consider them mentioned, chirpers.
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Go get ‘em, NIT fans.
