Something to chew on: How NIT success translates to the following season

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SelectionSunday

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There has been valid discussion here about whether or not National Invitation Tournament success translates to the following season. Now that the Gophers have reached the NIT finals, here's the data going back to the 1999-2000 season. It's a mixed bag.

NIT Runners-Up Since 2000
Notre Dame (2000) -- NCAA Round of 32 in 2001
Alabama (2001) -- NCAA Round of 32 in 2002
South Carolina (2002) -- no postseason in 2003
Georgetown (2003) -- no postseason in 2004
Rutgers (2004) -- no postseason in 2005
Saint Joseph's (2005) -- NIT 2nd round in 2006
Michigan (2006) -- NIT 2nd Round in 2007
Clemson (2007) -- NCAA Round of 64 in 2008
UMass (2008) -- no postseason in 2009
Baylor (2009) -- NCAA Elite 8 in 2010
North Carolina (2010) -- NCAA Elite 8 in 2011
Alabama (2011) -- NCAA Round of 64 in 2012

NIT Champions Since 2000
Wake Forest (2000) -- NCAA Round of 64 in 2001
Tulsa (2001) -- NCAA Round of 32 in 2002
Memphis (2002) -- NCAA Round of 64 in 2003
Saint John's (2003) -- no postseason in 2004
Michigan (2004) -- no postseason in 2005
South Carolina (2005) -- NIT champions in 2006
South Carolina (2006) -- no postseason in 2007
West Virginia (2007) -- NCAA Sweet 16 in 2008
Ohio State (2008) -- NCAA Round of 64 in 2009
Penn State (2009) -- no postseason in 2010
Dayton (2010) -- NIT 1st round in 2011
Wichita State (2011) -- NCAA Round of 64 in 2012

NIT Factoids Circa 1999-2000
(1) On 6 of 12 occasions, the NIT runner-up qualified for the NCAA Tournament the next season.

(2) On 4 occasions, the NIT runner-up failed to make the postseason the next season.

(3) On 6 occasions, the NIT champion qualified for the NCAA Tournament the next season.

(4) On 4 occasions, the NIT champion failed to make the postseason the next season.

(5) On 4 occasions, the NIT runner-up won at least one game in the NCAA Tournament the next season.

(6) On 2 occasions, the NIT champion won at least one game in the NCAA Tournament the next season.

(7) The last 3 NIT runners-up made the NCAA Tournament the next season, two of which (Baylor & North Carolina) advanced all the way to the Elite 8.

(8) The B1G has won 3 of the last 12 NIT titles, including 2 of the last 4.
 

I think it should bode fairly well for us. I would hazard a guess and say that because we're doing it with a freshman laden lineup that our odds of improving on the success of this year into next are a bit better.
 

We were in the Semi's with Monson one year and finished 3-13 the next year in conference.
 


minngg said:
We were in the Semi's with Monson one year and finished 3-13 the next year in conference.
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And we lost at home to Tulane in the 2nd round in 1996, then the following season ended up 16-2 in the Big Ten and advanced to the (correctly vacated, but nonetheless my eyes still saw it) Final 4.
 


SelectionSunday said:
And we lost at home to Tulane in the 2nd round in 1996, then the following season ended up 16-2 in the Big Ten and advanced to the (correctly vacated, but nonetheless my eyes still saw it) Final 4.
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Exactly, the correlation isn't there. Being young and getting some experience is a good thing. If you make an NIT run with an older team it probably means nothing.
 

That Tulane game was a beatemdown, and the Gophers weren't terrible in the game either.
 

SelectionSunday said:
And we lost at home to Tulane in the 2nd round in 1996, then the following season ended up 16-2 in the Big Ten and advanced to the (correctly vacated, but nonetheless my eyes still saw it) Final 4.
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That Tulane loss (With Jerald Honeycutt, who I am still shocked didn't become a decent NBA player) came after one of the worst snubs (IMHO) in NCAA tourney history. After that win at Illinois, I thought the Gophers were a lock. It didn't surprise me that they had a NIT letdown after that.
 

Tulane had Jerald Honeycutt. He was a man. Tulane had some nice talent back then. Always thought they underachieved a bit under Perry Clark relative to the talent he brought in there.
 



With our young team it's should really give this team a lot of well deserved confidence. I would put a lot less value on it if we had 2-3 seniors starting.
 

Jerald Honeycutt.. some similarities to Draymond... loved Honeycutt's game, hated playing him back in the early days of Conference USA.

On the NIT stuff.. I think it's often a case of a very good program having a down year, but then they're right back up to their 'normal' level of being an NCAA tourney team. No real causal relationship that can be quantified, but the experience, extra practice time, traveling, etc is all of value.

Also, I hate Stanford.
 


Wow, South Carolina was an NIT juggernaut '02-'06.
 



Anecdotally, a young team getting their toes wet in the postseason via the NIT has been beneficial for some. I think of Monson's Gonzaga teams. In '98 they played a couple games in the NIT, came back with the same core players the next year, and ran to the NCAA Elite Eight. There are no guarantees, of course, but I'd wager that the NIT experience was good for the Bulldogs.
 


NurumbiCongo said:
Okay.

Who is the guard that chose Standford (Randel or Morgan), which ruled out Andre going there? Think it was in an old GL interview.
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Chasson Randle. He's been very good this year. Gophers were interested in him early on, but I think he was down to a couple of other Big 1? schools (want to say IL & Purdue) and Stanford at the end.

Dre committed to the Gophers a few days after Randle announced for Stanford.
 

Gopher Warrior said:
Chasson Randle. He's been very good this year. Gophers were interested in him early on, but I think he was down to a couple of other Big 1? schools (want to say IL & Purdue) and Stanford at the end.

Dre committed to the Gophers a few days after Randle announced for Stanford.
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He has some good numbers, will be interesting to see them match-up.
 


I saw this by someone I follow on twitter a few hours ago and I've been chewing on it ever since:

Did the Gophers underachieve during the B10 season? Are they overachieving now or realizing their potential?
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Blizzard said:
I saw this by someone I follow on twitter a few hours ago and I've been chewing on it ever since:
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Given that they still struggle with some of the same issues (late game offense, etc) I'd have a hard time calling this over achievement. I'd have to say they underachieved during the season. I mean, even the slight improvement in play they've made during this postseason nets them 3 more wins this season IMO.
 

GoAUpher said:
Given that they still struggle with some of the same issues (late game offense, etc) I'd have a hard time calling this over achievement. I'd have to say they underachieved during the season. I mean, even the slight improvement in play they've made during this postseason nets them 3 more wins this season IMO.
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3 more wins = 9 - 9 in conference and a trip to the NCAA tournament. I for one would be happier with an NIT tournament win than an NCAA first round loss.
 

stocker08 said:
3 more wins = 9 - 9 in conference and a trip to the NCAA tournament. I for one would be happier with an NIT tournament win than an NCAA first round loss.
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Not me, but I do think this run is better for the team. It's just not as exciting for me as a fan.
 

Love the Jerald Honeycutt reminiscing. Along with Tubby's boy Shea Seals, they were my two favorite small school players of the mid 90s.
 

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