Gophers in the NIT!!

[Rex]

Possible unusual circumstance: Our first game will be at Hinkle Fieldhouse. NIT Semifinals and Finals also will be at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Butler Selected to 2024 NIT, Hosts Minnesota Tuesday - Butler University Athletics

Butler's 2023-24 season will continue into the postseason as the Bulldogs have been selected to the NIT. The bracket for the 32-team tournament was announced Sunday

butlersports.com

 

[Gophers7633]

Possible usual circumstance: Our first game will be at Hinkle Fieldhouse. NIT Semifinals and Finals also will be at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Butler Selected to 2024 NIT, Hosts Minnesota Tuesday - Butler University Athletics

Butler's 2023-24 season will continue into the postseason as the Bulldogs have been selected to the NIT. The bracket for the 32-team tournament was announced Sunday

butlersports.com

If we win and Indiana State wins, we'll only leave the state for one game, if we make the title game(not saying we will just an observation).

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

I think we hosted a game or 2 when MN won the NIT with Pitino..... am I remembering that right?

3 games: High Point, St Marys, and I think Southern Miss

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

#5 has done reasonably well against #4 in recent history. Here are the victories by #5 over #4 over the last 8 tournaments with 32 teams. 2021 is omitted because that one had only 16 teams (at a centralized location) and the 2020 tournament was cancelled.

Winning 5th Seed Teams in 32 team NIT tournament
	5th Seed	4th Seed
2023	Eastern Wash	Wash State
	UCF	Florida
2022	St. Bonaventure	Colorado
	Oregon	Utah State
2019	Lipscomb	Davidson
	Arkansas	Providence
2018	Washington	Boise State
2017	Ole Miss	Monmouth
2016	NONE
2015	AZ State	UCONN
	George Wash	Pitt
	Vandy	St. Marys
2014	LSU	San Francisco
	Belmont	Green Bay

 

[Scott R Fisher]

Great opportunity to play some extra games and hopefully make a good showing. Let's go!!!

 

[Gold Vision]

Which one of you DB’s is Tom Coyne?

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

There is a need for you to feel respected, loved or in control. What I can't figure out is if it is one, two or all three of them.

Then I'd say he's 0-3 on those goals.

 

[GopherLady]

Press release from the U of MN:

Gophers Earn Bid to 2024 National Invitation Tournament



MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team earned a bid into the National Invitation Tournament, announced tonight on ESPN2. Minnesota will face Butler on Tuesday, March 19 in Indianapolis. Game time is set for 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

“We’re really excited to be invited into the prestigious NIT,” head coach Ben Johnson said. “It’s a great opportunity for our team to continue to build, grow, get better and compete. Our guys are excited and looking forward to preparing for it this week. It’s the next great step for our program, and we're ready to get back on the court.”

The first round of the 2024 NIT will be contested on March 19-20. Winners will advance to the second round (March 23-24) and quarterfinals (March 26-27). Should the Gophers win, they would advance to face the winner of Indiana State/SMU on March 23-24.

The final four teams will advance to Indianapolis and play the semifinals (April 2) and championship (April 4) at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, located on Butler’s campus. Additional NIT information can be found on www.NCAA.com/NIT.

It marks the first time the Gophers have competed in the NIT since 2014 when Minnesota won the championship over SMU, 65-63 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The 2024 bid marks the 14th NIT appearance in program history, not including 1996 and 1998 appearances that were later vacated. The Gophers have amassed a 27-12 record in NIT games (.692), excluding vacated seasons.

Minnesota is 3-1 all time against Butler, dating back to 1971 and the first since 2019. Minnesota won three-straight against the Bulldogs, before dropping a 64-56 road contest in 2019 as a part of the Gavitt Games.

The Gophers finished the season as the No. 9 seed in the Big Ten Tournament with a 9-11 league mark and 18-14 overall. Minnesota boasted one of the best turnarounds from last season to this season among major conferences this season. Minnesota is led by Dawson Garcia, who averages 17.7 points, followed by Cam Christie with 11.3 and Mike Mitchell Jr., with 10.3. Floor general Elijah Hawkins ranks second nationally in assists per game at 7.5.

The Bulldogs enter the NIT with an 18-14 record and went 9-11 in Big EAST play. The Bulldogs, the No. 8 seed, fell last Wednesday to No. 9 seed Xavier, 76-72 in the Big EAST Tournament last Wednesday. Tuesday’s match up marks the third Big Ten team Butler will face this season. The Bulldogs fell to Michigan State earlier this year as a part of the Gavitt Games 74-54, on Nov. 17 in East Lansing, Mich., and defeated Penn State on Nov. 24 as a part of a tournament in Orlando, Fla., 88-78.

 

[Mulligan]

Only because St Johns + Pitt rejected offers…let’s be real

Edit: also Indiana

You really need to change your member name. "Wet Blanket Guy" is way too positive for you.

 

[Gopher Ally]

Thought Tom Crean was spot on blasting teams for opting out. Why wouldn’t you keep coaching and playing to further development? Good luck Gophers!

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

Thought Tom Crean was spot on blasting teams for opting out. Why wouldn’t you keep coaching and playing to further development? Good luck Gophers!

Well, that's interesting because he declined an NIT bid when he coached at Indiana. I remember him saying something like "We're Indiana. We don't go to the NIT."

 

[denguegopher]

This is a nice feather in their cap.

Oh my goodness, my high school baseball coach (in the 1970's) used to say a version of that

 

[Gopher Ally]

Well, that's interesting because he declined an NIT bid when he coached at Indiana. I remember him saying something like "We're Indiana. We don't go to the NIT."

Interesting if he indeed turned down NIT himself. He was torching opt outs

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

Interesting if he indeed turned down NIT himself. He was torching opt outs

I think it was the last year we won that tournament (2014 - Pitino's first season). His team wasn't so hot that season despite having 7 Top 100 players. Finished 17-15. We beat them in our one matchup.

 

[GopherJack]

Possible usual circumstance: Our first game will be at Hinkle Fieldhouse. NIT Semifinals and Finals also will be at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Butler Selected to 2024 NIT, Hosts Minnesota Tuesday - Butler University Athletics

Butler's 2023-24 season will continue into the postseason as the Bulldogs have been selected to the NIT. The bracket for the 32-team tournament was announced Sunday

butlersports.com

Man----I'm really out of the loop. When did they stop playing the Semi's and Final at Madison Square Garden?

 

[GopherVotary]

Looks like Jamison Battle’s transfer paid off with a trip to the postseason.

 

[howeda7]

Thought Tom Crean was spot on blasting teams for opting out. Why wouldn’t you keep coaching and playing to further development? Good luck Gophers!

Tom could easily keep coaching while texting portal recruits that he's thinking about them a lot. A whole lot.

 

[Rex]

I think it was the last year we won that tournament (2014 - Pitino's first season). His team wasn't so hot that season despite having 7 Top 100 players. Finished 17-15. We beat them in our one matchup.

Hoosiers miss NIT, decide to end season

BLOOMINGTON Indiana's season ended short of the NCAA tournament field, when the Hoosiers crashed out of the Big Ten t...

www.indystar.com

"The 2013-14 Indiana University men's basketball season is over.
The Hoosiers did not receive an invitation to this year's NIT, the 32-team competition one rung below its NCAA counterpart in the college basketball postseason. Indiana was passed over, though Big Ten foes Minnesota and Illinois made the field."

Tom Crean sounds off on Indiana basketball, other teams passing on NIT

Tom Crean's last game as Indiana basketball coach was a road NIT loss. The Hoosiers declined an opportunity to play in this year's NIT.

www.indystar.com

"In 2017, Crean's final season as coach, IU decided against hosting an NIT game but went on the road, losing to Georgia Tech. Crean was fired soon thereafter."

 

[GoodasGold]

More Gopher basketball!!! Woo-hooo!

 

[short ornery norwegian]

well, you had to expect that some people would come here to....................................

nit-pick.


(I'm already sorry)

 

[Rex]

Man----I'm really out of the loop. When did they stop playing the Semi's and Final at Madison Square Garden?

I don't remember it much if the Gophers aren't in it.

"The 2020 edition of the NIT was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, following the NCAA canceling all winter and spring sports for that year in its wake. In 2021, the NIT, like March Madness, decided to play its games at a bubble location, this time being Denton and Frisco, Texas, therefore for the first time the semifinals and championship weren't played at the Madison Square Garden. After a return to MSG in 2022, it was announced that the 2023 and 2024 semis and final would be moved away from New York.[42] On August 12, 2022, the NCAA announced that the final rounds of the 2023 NIT would be held at Orleans Arena in Paradise, Nevada and hosted by nearby UNLV, and the 2024 site would be Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.[43]"

 

[forever a gopher]

If we both win a few games, we get a revenge game against San Fran U.

 

[Ope3]

Only because St Johns + Pitt rejected offers…let’s be real

Edit: also Indiana

Why are you even here, you miserable prick?

At least he's up front about it.

The Moniker is definitely on brand.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

on the more serious side - a little history.

The NIT was founded in 1938. It was the second major post-season men's college basketball tournament - the NAIA tourney was founded in 1937 by some guy named James Naismith. the NCAA tourney started in 1939.

the NIT started as a 6-team tournament. it increased over the years until reaching 32 teams in 1980. from 2002-2006 the NIT went to 40 teams, but dropped back to 32 in 2007.

through the mid-1950's, the NIT was seen as the more prestigious post-season tourney, in part because it was based at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

for a time, it was possible for a team to play in both the NIT and NCAA in the same season. in 1950, CCNY (City College of New York) won the NIT and NCAA titles in the same season.

and one more - in 1970, Marquette was ranked #8 in the country - but when Marquette was assigned to the NCAA Midwest Regional as an at-large invitee, Marquette Coach Al McGuire turned down the NCAA, went to the NIT and won the Championship. (Al wanted to be in the Mideast regional in Dayton, OH - the Midwest was played in Fort Worth, TX)

 

[swede2]

Do teams still get to host early round games? I remember years ago, watching the Gophers at Williams arena hosting a first round NIT game.

I recall going to a NIT game at the barn while home on spring break. Would have been 98 -2000 timeframe.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

#5 has done reasonably well against #4 in recent history. Here are the victories by #5 over #4 over the last 8 tournaments with 32 teams. 2021 is omitted because that one had only 16 teams (at a centralized location) and the 2020 tournament was cancelled.

Winning 5th Seed Teams in 32 team NIT tournament
	5th Seed	4th Seed
2023	Eastern Wash	Wash State
	UCF	Florida
2022	St. Bonaventure	Colorado
	Oregon	Utah State
2019	Lipscomb	Davidson
	Arkansas	Providence
2018	Washington	Boise State
2017	Ole Miss	Monmouth
2016	NONE
2015	AZ State	UCONN
	George Wash	Pitt
	Vandy	St. Marys
2014	LSU	San Francisco
	Belmont	Green Bay

I guess it’s okay, I’d rather have the 12 seed.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I’m happy I get to watch another game of Gopher bball. It’s a fun matchup too.

 

[Ewert86PC]

Not true based on our seed. Would have been in even if 12 teams opted out.

So.... our team GPA wasn't a deciding factor?

 

[Cayman]

I think after the seeds they try to set up matchups that draw fans. UCF V USF. Going to get way more fans into that than say Iowa or minn vs usf

It does look like they've made some effort to keep things regional. Outside of a first round game at Iowa, Butler is probably one of the closest teams to us. Other matchups are Richmond at Virginia Tech, Kansas State at Iowa, Appalachian State at Wake Forest, Boston College at Providence, and North Texas at LSU. SMU at Indiana State, San Francisco at Cincinnati, and UNLV at Princeton are some of the longer distance matchups. So I'm not certain we got a "5 seed" as much as we were matched up against an opponent who wasn't super far away.

 

[JZABR]

There is a need for you to feel respected, loved or in control. What I can't figure out is if it is one, two or all three of them.

Definitely all three of them equally. Always gotta be somebody that tries to deflate accomplishments. We were picked to finish near the basement of the Big Ten and we end up playing in the NIT. Pretty damn proud of this team and CBJ.