Yes. I know. This is surprising.
Joe addressed this at length in his recap this morning of the other bracketology, but basically, our model hit a wrinkle last night. We knew the wrinkle was coming. We’re working on avoiding it in future seasons. But it’s been hit, and overnight, our model said, “You know, maybe Kentucky does have a decent NIT chance.”
And so, in combination with avoiding what would’ve likely been a loss to Texas in Lexington (Would I have called it Texington for the next three years? I’m not sure.) and therefore getting a big reprieve in the quest for a respectable overall win-loss record, Kentucky’s back in our NIT Bracketology. In the same region as Michigan State and Duke.
Savor this.
But also, it’s the most likely eventual field.
We’ll get to notes on yesterday and today, but first, here’s the NITuation:
Possible Automatic Bids Who Are on NIT Turf but Are Too Likely to Win Their Conference Tournament
Still Marshall and Saint Louis, who’d be a five-seed and a two-seed respectively were they either more likely to win their conference’s regular season title or less likely to win their conference tournament.
Close, on the High Side
The bubble in which those that miss the NIT go to the tournament of which we do not speak.
Close: Penn State, Arkansas, Boise State, North Carolina
Closer: Loyola, Oregon, UConn, LSU, Indiana
Closest: Colorado State, Drake
Close, on the Low Side
CBI land.
Close: Rhode Island, Mississippi State, Navy, Notre Dame
Closer: Pitt, Georgia, UCF, Northwestern
Closest: St. John’s, Davidson, Furman, UAB
***
And that’s the NITuation.
More notes:
- Seton Hall did it. They’re back in the projected field. Those guys are amazing. The best rope-a-dope. The absolute best.
- Syracuse avoided a terrible home loss to NC State yesterday.
- Marquette did not avoid a terrible home loss to St. John’s yesterday, and is now not even in the NITuation.
- I’m beginning to worry about Michigan State.
- Fairleigh Dickinson beat Bryant again, making Bryant’s NIT auto-bid appearance (and trendy upset pick status) questionable.
- Duke goes to Miami tonight. Should win rather comfortably. Should be fine as long as it isn’t a total blowout again.
- Georgia Tech plays at Louisville. Don’t think about it, Josh Pastner. (I know, I know. He’s thinking about it isn’t he.)
- UCF visits Memphis in an AAC Bubble Clash. It might be an early-afternoon game. If you are so inclined…
