NIT-bound Cats: When was the last time that was said?
by Javier Morales on Mar. 11, 2010, under Sports
The last time Arizona played in a postseason tournament other than the NCAA tournament was in 1975, when the Cats played in something called the National Commissioner’s Invitational Tournament. Haven’t heard of it? That’s because it lasted only two years, ending with the Cats’ loss to Drake in the 1975 championship game at Louisville, Ky.
It was an eight-team postseason tournament run by the NCAA. The NCAA supposedly tried to get rid of the NIT by introducing the tournament. It was a collection of teams that came in second in their conferences. In 1974, the NCAA Tournament only invited conference champions. In 1975, when Arizona played in the NCIT, at-large teams were added to the NCAA tournament.
In terms of the NIT, Arizona has not played in that tournament since 1951, when the NIT rivaled the NCAA tournament as the premier postseason tournament in college basketball. So, really, the UA has never played in the current framework of the NIT, which is basically a consolation tournament.
It is beneficial only for young teams to get more practice time, like Arizona. Plus, if Arizona makes it to the semifinals at the Madison Square Garden, Lamont “MoMo” Jones, Kevin Parrom and assistant coach Book Richardson can return home to New York City and give Arizona more exposure there.
Quick, who won the NIT last year? (Ticking sound …) It was Penn State over Baylor.
The NCAA announced a revamped selection process starting with the 2006 tournament.
- Teams are no longer required to have .500 or greater records to receive bids. Even with this change, however, all teams receiving invitations for the NIT, to date, have had a record greater than .500.
- Similar to the automatic bids the NCAA Tournament grants for all conference tournament champions, all teams that won regular-season conference championships but failed to earn NCAA tournament bids are guaranteed places in the NIT.
In addition, the selection process for the 32-team field has been made transparent. ESPN no longer had a hand in the selection of the teams. Instead, a committee of former NCAA head coaches, chaired by C.M. Newton, and including Gene Keady (Purdue), Don DeVoe (Tennessee), Rudy Davalos, Les Robinson, Reggie Minton (Air Force), John Powers and Carroll Williams among others, prepare a list of potential teams in advance.
The seeding and balancing process is similar to that of the NCAA tournament, with the exception that higher seeded teams will always host games, unless extenuating circumstances occur. In the past, higher seeded mid-major teams would often be forced to travel to play less highly regarded major conference teams that would be likely to sell more tickets to the game.
UA’S POSTSEASON OTHER THAN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
1946 National Invitation Tournament
New York, N.Y.
March 16 — Kentucky 77, Arizona 53
1950 National Invitation Tournament
New York, N.Y.
March 11 — LaSalle 72, Arizona 66
1951 National Invitation Tournament
New York, N.Y.
March 13 — Dayton 74, Arizona 68
1974-75 Nat’l Commissioner’s Invitational Tourn.
Louisville, Ky.
March 13, Arizona 94, East Carolina 78
March 15, Arizona 102, Purdue 96
March 16, Drake 83, Arizona 76
March 11th, 2010 on 6:11 pm
I abso-LUTE-ly commend Javy for being a bloody DREAMER.
But a team de jure has to bloody wanna’ win a game.
And from all indications, the Wildcats simply didn’t have the inner resolve to MAN THE FREAK UP, and defeat a lowly Bruin team this afternoon.
So what makes Javy think, that Arizona will bloody BALL on the hardcourt, and reach a LONGSHOT N.I.T. third-round game. Let alone the Big Apple.
Because for the Wildcats hardwood demeanor today, it seems they’re looking forward to Spring vacation. lmao
March 12th, 2010 on 9:09 am
A “Bloody” dreamer huh(who uses that word anyways) I pretty much figured that regular season play didnt matter that much in the Pac anyways. Any team but maybe 2 could win the tourny. Im gonna go out on a limb and probably say you pretty moch have no bball playing experience besides a Playstation3. The heart issue you tend to bring up is confused with youth. Granted at the end of a season the youth factor goes out the door however, with what we have went through the last few years and be blessed enough to get coach Miller and Richardson and the recruits we picked up in a mater of days is just the same a dance bid to me. Ive been spoiled for the last 25 years anyways and dont think the players mind a Spring vacation as you put it with the lovely looking ladies in the TUCTOWN anyways. hen we get Selby or Lamb in April all the hatin from you guys ill start all over again hen a new streak starts. The REAL U will be back my bloody friend.