BTN: Twitter Recap: OK, now 15-1 Minnesota is for real

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I appreciate the Litman tweet: "Sounded silly last spring, but those NIT road wins really did help set up this run."

I know this sounds silly right now, but I'm not sure this team is this successful without their postseason experience last year. Sounding like Sid now, but the geniuses who scoff at the NIT - I've seen a lot of teams go from NIT run one year to big success the next. Even one or two extra games can help (a la the 1996 Gophers or Monson's 1998 Bulldogs team).
 


Bad Gopher said:
I appreciate the Litman tweet: "Sounded silly last spring, but those NIT road wins really did help set up this run."

I know this sounds silly right now, but I'm not sure this team is this successful without their postseason experience last year. Sounding like Sid now, but the geniuses who scoff at the NIT - I've seen a lot of teams go from NIT run one year to big success the next. Even one or two extra games can help (a la the 1996 Gophers or Monson's 1998 Bulldogs team).
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I think the main argument is in terms of recruiting. No prospect is going to want to hear about NIT success. It definitely helped the team build confidence though if nothing else.
 

GophersOnTheRise said:
I think the main argument is in terms of recruiting. No prospect is going to want to hear about NIT success. It definitely helped the team build confidence though if nothing else.
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Do NOT tell the players who are actually playing that an NIT run is not important. NIT success is impressive.
 


I see that Gophers and GopherHole are both trending right now. Looks like our fans are fired up.
 

GophersOnTheRise said:
I think the main argument is in terms of recruiting. No prospect is going to want to hear about NIT success. It definitely helped the team build confidence though if nothing else.
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Confidence...and chemistry & develop roles. It was the coming out party for Dre, EE, Ingram & Oto.
 

Bad Gopher said:
I appreciate the Litman tweet: "Sounded silly last spring, but those NIT road wins really did help set up this run."

I know this sounds silly right now, but I'm not sure this team is this successful without their postseason experience last year. Sounding like Sid now, but the geniuses who scoff at the NIT - I've seen a lot of teams go from NIT run one year to big success the next. Even one or two extra games can help (a la the 1996 Gophers or Monson's 1998 Bulldogs team).
Click to expand...

I was roasted here last year for starting a thread saying our young squad would be better served with an NIT run as opposed to getting rolled in the 1st round of the Dance. It's like a low level bowl game in football. The extra practices, games & bonding time absolutely matter for a young team.
 

Dr.Don said:
Do NOT tell the players who are actually playing that an NIT run is not important. NIT success is impressive.
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If your team in in the NIT, it should be important to win. But if you aren't on the team and are just a prospect, hearing about NIT performance isn't going to impress them unless they are a mid-major recruit. As a fan, the NIT run was exciting even though I obvioulsy wished we were in the NCAA tournament instead.
 



Costa Rican Gopher said:
I was roasted here last year for starting a thread saying our young squad would be better served with an NIT run as opposed to getting rolled in the 1st round of the Dance. It's like a low level bowl game in football. The extra practices, games & bonding time absolutely matter for a young team.
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Again, I think people were focused on the recuiting aspect. At least I know I was. NITs do not help recruiting unless you're at a mid-major school. Seemed to help the team's confidence and chemistry though so it was beneficial for that group of players.
 

GophersOnTheRise said:
If your team in in the NIT, it should be important to win. But if you aren't on the team and are just a prospect, hearing about NIT performance isn't going to impress them unless they are a mid-major recruit. As a fan, the NIT run was exciting even though I obvioulsy wished we were in the NCAA tournament instead.
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Agree with both you & Don. The players want to win. Doesn't matter if it's the NC, NIT or X-Box. It's especially good for a young team because it gives them all those extra practices, extra games, extra ROAD games, extra travel/bonding time.

That said, recruits aren't impressed by NIT games because they don't aspire to the NIT. The NIT is not a recruiting tool, it's a coaching/teaching tool.
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
Agree with both you & Don. The players want to win. Doesn't matter if it's the NC, NIT or X-Box. It's especially good for a young team because it gives them all those extra practices, extra games, extra ROAD games, extra travel/bonding time.

That said, recruits aren't impressed by NIT games because they don't aspire to the NIT. The NIT is not a recruiting tool, it's a coaching/teaching tool.
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Agreed.
 

I do remember reading that some recruits who ended up committing to the Gophers, expressed that one factor was seeing them on TV, playing well in the 1993 NIT tournament. Those players were on the team that didn't go to the Final Four in 1997. So telling a recruit about NIT success would be idiotic. But having recruits see the team, how they play, etc., on tv, is never a bad thing.
 



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