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RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - Card10Fan - 03-16-2026

Let’s win the crown and get that NIL money to help pay Okori. Sounds easy enough.

RE: 76lsjumb - 76lsjumb - 03-16-2026

(03-15-2026, 07:00 PM)76lsjumb Wrote:  I spoke with an Athletic department person today (not basketball, but someone who should know stuff) who indicated that the Crown (in Vegas) was actually preferred by Kyle Smith, so we may, indeed, have declined NIT. I guess we’ll see.

Always nice to confirm that your sources know what they’re talking about…

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - Papa John - 03-16-2026

So Oklahoma turned down the NIT to play in the College Basketball Crown tournament? Interesting.
Here's a rundown of the CBC teams:

Oklahoma: 19-15 overall, 7-11 (T 11th) in the SEC, NET ranking = 48
Colorado: 17-15, 7-11 (T 11th) in the Big 12, NET 76

Baylor: 16-16, 6-12 (T 13th) in the Big 12, NET 50
Minnesota: 15-17, 8-12 (11th) in the Big Ten, NET 81

Stanford: 20-12, 9-9 (T 9th) in the ACC, NET 61
West Virginia:  18-14, 9-9 (T 7th) in the Big 12, NET 59

Rutgers: 14-19, 6-14 (14th) in the Big Ten, NET 134
Creighton: 15-17, 9-11 (5th) in the Big East, NET 83

I guess the team does get two extra weeks of practice, which might benefit returning players. Of course, I still would have preferred the NIT (Not Important Tournament) as opposed to the CBC (College Basketball Castaways), but I guess that phone call never came?

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - M T - 03-16-2026

(03-16-2026, 04:08 PM)Card10Fan Wrote:  Let’s win the crown and get that NIL money to help pay Okori. Sounds easy enough.
How much do you think it costs to extend the season for this event?
Cost wise, maybe there's a profit if you win, but balance that against the probability of winning.
I doubt the school winds up with more money than it spends.  
Maybe less NIL will be available as a result of playing.

Totally separately from money/NIL is the reputation of the team.
No doubt a win or good showing helps recruit players (possibly with fewer dollars to pay players to play).

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - 82lsju - 03-16-2026

in the NCAA tournament field for the Power 4

SEC has 10 of its 16 teams
Big Ten has 9 of its 18 teams
ACC has 8 of its 17 teams
Big 12 has 8 of its 16 teams

NIT

SEC has 1
Big Ten has 0
ACC has 2
Big 12 has 1

The Crown

SEC has 1
Big Ten has 2
ACC has 1
Big 12 has 3

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - KartyFan - 03-16-2026

(03-16-2026, 05:21 PM)M T Wrote:  
(03-16-2026, 04:08 PM)Card10Fan Wrote:  Let’s win the crown and get that NIL money to help pay Okori. Sounds easy enough.
How much do you think it costs to extend the season for this event?
Cost wise, maybe there's a profit if you win, but balance that against the probability of winning.
I doubt the school winds up with more money than it spends.  
Maybe less NIL will be available as a result of playing.

Totally separately from money/NIL is the reputation of the team.
No doubt a win or good showing helps recruit players (possibly with fewer dollars to pay players to play).

I am the opposite of an expert here. But I am assuming Stanford is paying the full $20+mm in direct payments to players, and that this is not impacted by travel or other costs. I'm also assuming the extra NIL money is separate as part of "legitimate" NIL commercial deals the players do with 3rd parties. So in theory, if we win there is an extra $300k available that we wouldn't have otherwise accessed.

Appreciate more informed perspectives than mine.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - Mick - 03-16-2026

(03-16-2026, 12:25 PM)jacket3ree Wrote:  Belmont's HC is on his way to Kansas State, so that makes sense.

Frankly with college free agency, teams declining the NIT makes more sense to me than the acceptances. Maybe if you just want to keep hooping or maybe coaches have enough contract incentive for making the "postseason" to force accepting an off-brand postseason. For Power 4 teams with double digit losses, what is the point? You had your chance to make the one meaningful tournament.

Finished my bracket. UVA gets revenge against the Evil Empire in the most satisfying way possible. I started to use AI to create a bracket but stopped when it said Indiana and Auburn could get past the first round. God help us all.

Fun NIT fact: There have been 29 NIT Most Valuable Players in the last 30 years (no tourney because of COVID in 2020). Of those 29:

- 18 never played a single minute in the NBA.
- 11 made an NBA roster. Of the eleven, here's how many games each played:
[*]Kosta Koufos (2008, Ohio State) — 686 games (11 seasons, 2008–19; solid backup center role with multiple teams).
[*]Robert Traylor (1997, Michigan; award vacated) — 438 games (7 seasons, 1998–2005; known as "Tractor Traylor").
[*]Kenrich Williams (2017, TCU) — 436 games (8 seasons through 2025–26; ongoing with OKC Thunder; versatile forward).
[*]Lamar Stevens (2018, Penn State) — 220 games (primarily 2020–25; forward with Cleveland and others).
[*]Renaldo Balkman (2006, South Carolina) — 221 games (6 seasons, 2006–11; forward with Knicks and Nuggets).
[*]Erick Strickland (1996, Nebraska) — Approximately 300+ games across multiple seasons/teams (1996–2005; guard known for scoring bursts; exact total aligns in the mid-to-high range among the group based on career logs).
[*]Dajuan Wagner (2002, Memphis) — 103 games (4 seasons, 2002–06; high draft pick hampered by injuries).
[*]Colby Jones (2022, Xavier) — ~70 games (3 seasons through 2025–26; guard/forward with Kings, Pistons, etc.; ongoing).
[*]Chasson Randle (2015, Stanford) — ~50–60 games across sporadic appearances (2016–21; guard with multiple teams, mostly brief stints).
[*]Pierre Jackson (2013, Baylor) — 8 games (1 season with Dallas Mavericks; brief call-up).
[*]Landers Nolley II (2021, Memphis) — 0 regular-season NBA games (played in G League/internationally after NIT MVP; included in the prior "played in NBA" category due to roster appearances or two-way context in some records, but no regular-season GP).

- zero made an NBA All-star team

Not exactly a hotbed of talent, the NIT.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - Spiny_Norman - 03-16-2026

(03-16-2026, 06:38 PM)Mick Wrote:  Not exactly a hotbed of talent, the NIT.

Mick, I am going to pick a nit with your characterization.

Chasson Randle is Stanford's all time leading scorer. He scored more points than Adam Keefe, Todd Lichti, Brevin Knight, et. al. Coming out of high school, he was the Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year. I think he was a VERY talented basketball player. He just was not an NBA talented player.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - Papa John - 03-16-2026

You could have extended your survey back a few more years and noted Adam Keefe, NIT MVP in 1991.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - Nobadeer - 03-16-2026

According to the stats at Bart Torvik's site, it appears that LSJU was the third worst Power 4 team in FTRD, i.e., defensive free throw rate, ahead of only Texas and Vanderbilt. Unsurprising given the brobdingnagian disparity in FTs taken during the 8 ACC road games on the East Coast.

LSJU, Texas and Vandy were all above 40% in FTRD.

Interestingly, two of LSJU's ACC foes, Duke and UNC, were second and third best in FTRD, at only ~ 23%. Hmmmm. Maybe the ACC refs really favor Duke and UNC? Nah. Not enough at stake for the conference . . .

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - MV72018 - 03-16-2026

(03-16-2026, 07:32 PM)Nobadeer Wrote:  According to the stats at Bart Torvik's site, it appears that LSJU was the third worst Power 4 team in FTRD, i.e., defensive free throw rate, ahead of only Texas and Vanderbilt. Unsurprising given the brobdingnagian disparity in FTs taken during the 8 ACC road games on the East Coast.

LSJU, Texas and Vandy were all above 40% in FTRD.

Interestingly, two of LSJU's ACC foes, Duke and UNC, were second and third best in FTRD, at only ~ 23%. Hmmmm. Maybe the ACC refs really favor Duke and UNC? Nah. Not enough at stake for the conference . . .

Note that when Stanford played Duke at Maples in January, the FTRD figures differed ENORMOUSLY. 
Duke gave up 10 FT attempts and 50 FG attempts to the Cardinal, for a rating of 20%. 
Stanford gave up 28 FT attempts and 50 FG attempts to Duke for a FTRD of 56%. 

Maybe it's not just the ACC refs that account for the big difference in season's FTRD percentages.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - Mick - 03-17-2026

(03-16-2026, 07:02 PM)Papa John Wrote:  You could have extended your survey back a few more years and noted Adam Keefe, NIT MVP in 1991.

True. I selected a very arbitrary 30-year horizon. Apologies to Mr. Keefe, of whom I'm a big fan.
(03-16-2026, 06:58 PM)Spiny_Norman Wrote:  
(03-16-2026, 06:38 PM)Mick Wrote:  Not exactly a hotbed of talent, the NIT.

Mick, I am going to pick a nit with your characterization.

Chasson Randle is Stanford's all time leading scorer. He scored more points than Adam Keefe, Todd Lichti, Brevin Knight, et. al. Coming out of high school, he was the Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year. I think he was a VERY talented basketball player. He just was not an NBA talented player.

True. Apologies to Mr. Randle, of whom I'm a big fan.

And while we're on the topic, Stanford has won it three times; 1991, 2012, and 2015. 2012 win had one of my all-time favorite headlines "Stanford Exterminates Gophers" (win over Minnesota).

1938, the first year of the NIT, the best basketball player in the country was Hank Luisetti, who was a senior and Stanford was 21-3. Stanford had crushed Long Island in New York (and crushed LIU the year before in Stanford), LIU was invited. Stanford lost to Temple 35-31 -- Temple was invited and won the tournament, beating Colorado in the final 60-36.

Stanford's coach, John Bunn, was vocal about not being included in the inaugural NIT, and mentioned the need for a nationwide tournament, and the next year, 1939, was the first year of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which was won by Oregon.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - Nobadeer - 03-19-2026

I saw former LSJU star Oziyah Sellers on the court today at Viejas Arena in San Diego. He and St. Johns play there tomorrow in round 1. Today was the usual NCAA free public practice session for the 8 teams in that pod, ~ 45 minutes each. Sellers looked good on the jump shot. Maybe the best form and rotation I saw all day besides Burries of U of A. 

What could have been, if Sellers had stayed and teamed up with Okorie and Benny G in the backcourt. Probably a 25 win season.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - PVTree - 03-21-2026

Along with Stojko who had a terrific game for the Illini.

Dreams that the new NCAA world turns to nightmares for Stanford fanatics.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - 76lsjumb - 03-21-2026

(03-19-2026, 10:47 PM)Nobadeer Wrote:  I saw former LSJU star Oziyah Sellers on the court today at Viejas Arena in San Diego. He and St. Johns play there tomorrow in round 1. Today was the usual NCAA free public practice session for the 8 teams in that pod, ~ 45 minutes each. Sellers looked good on the jump shot. Maybe the best form and rotation I saw all day besides Burries of U of A. 

What could have been, if Sellers had stayed and teamed up with Okorie and Benny G in the backcourt. Probably a 25 win season.

You mean former Trojan star Oziyah Sellers, right?

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - fullmetal - 03-22-2026

Andrej did his damage off the bench, while VCU starting guard Nyk Lewis sprained his ankle in the first minute and never returned.

If only Stanford's departed talent would have stayed around to help Okorie...rough.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - PVTree - 03-22-2026

Add to the bunch Elijah Crawford. The once-committed 4-star had a great game (season) for the UIC Flames. I saw the game against the weenies, and he looked very good. The Haase recruit left for BYU when the coaching change took place.

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - Nobadeer - 03-30-2026

Assistant Coach MacConnell is departing LSJU to become head coach at Dartmouth.

At LSJU, he helped recruit, among others, Aziz Olajuwon.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48350925/dartmouth-names-ex-stanford-assistant-brett-macconnell-new-hc

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - BostonCard - 03-30-2026

Imagine being Cal right now: their former quarterback leads Indiana to a national title and wins a H*eisman, while their former MBB player helps get Illinois to the final four.  Yeah, I know, he’s our former player too, but he was more proximally a weenie.

BC

RE: (MBB) Nit declined? - PVTree - 03-30-2026

Another former player (Suarez) almost helped TCU reach the FF also.