Brackets posted. No Stanford. Maybe The Crown?
(MBB) Nit declined?
(This post was last modified: 03-15-2026, 08:51 PM by CompSci87.)
Brackets posted. No Stanford. Maybe The Crown?
(03-15-2026, 06:52 PM)Oskidunker Wrote: Brackets posted. No Stanford. Maybe The Crown?
Teams and decline list are here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...101950007/
Stanford isn't on either list. Bizarre.
(03-15-2026, 06:52 PM)Oskidunker Wrote: Brackets posted. No Stanford. Maybe The Crown?
Teams and decline list are here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...101950007/
Stanford isn't on either list. Bizarre.
03-15-2026, 07:00 PM
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.
Wake and Cal seem to be the ACC reps in the NIT.
So I can only hope the speculation of us going to Crown instead is what's happening.
Re the Crown:
The 2026 College Basketball Crown bracket reveal has a set date and time.
The men's college basketball postseason tournament will unveil its field Monday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. ET, USA TODAY Sports confirms.
The bracket will be announced on the FS1 show "First Things First" with Nick Wright, Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes.
So I can only hope the speculation of us going to Crown instead is what's happening.
Re the Crown:
The 2026 College Basketball Crown bracket reveal has a set date and time.
The men's college basketball postseason tournament will unveil its field Monday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. ET, USA TODAY Sports confirms.
The bracket will be announced on the FS1 show "First Things First" with Nick Wright, Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes.
Wake and Cal seem to be the ACC reps in the NIT.
So I can only hope the speculation of us going to Crown instead is what's happening.
Re the Crown:
The 2026 College Basketball Crown bracket reveal has a set date and time.
The men's college basketball postseason tournament will unveil its field Monday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. ET, USA TODAY Sports confirms.
The bracket will be announced on the FS1 show "First Things First" with Nick Wright, Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes.
So I can only hope the speculation of us going to Crown instead is what's happening.
Re the Crown:
The 2026 College Basketball Crown bracket reveal has a set date and time.
The men's college basketball postseason tournament will unveil its field Monday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. ET, USA TODAY Sports confirms.
The bracket will be announced on the FS1 show "First Things First" with Nick Wright, Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes.
03-15-2026, 07:17 PM
CROWN Field to be announced Monday night March 16 at 5:30pm ET.
ALL games played in Vegas among just 8 teams.
I believe Stanford chose the cheap travel option, even though -- would we get two games at Maples in the NIT?
Suppose losing opener to PITT cost us a #1 Host seed in the NIT?
So, Kyle and the team took an easy weekend in nearby Vegas... ?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
ALL games played in Vegas among just 8 teams.
I believe Stanford chose the cheap travel option, even though -- would we get two games at Maples in the NIT?
Suppose losing opener to PITT cost us a #1 Host seed in the NIT?
So, Kyle and the team took an easy weekend in nearby Vegas... ?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
CROWN Field to be announced Monday night March 16 at 5:30pm ET.
ALL games played in Vegas among just 8 teams.
I believe Stanford chose the cheap travel option, even though -- would we get two games at Maples in the NIT?
Suppose losing opener to PITT cost us a #1 Host seed in the NIT?
So, Kyle and the team took an easy weekend in nearby Vegas... ?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
ALL games played in Vegas among just 8 teams.
I believe Stanford chose the cheap travel option, even though -- would we get two games at Maples in the NIT?
Suppose losing opener to PITT cost us a #1 Host seed in the NIT?
So, Kyle and the team took an easy weekend in nearby Vegas... ?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
03-15-2026, 07:26 PM
(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Eric
"the older we get the better we were"
(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Eric
"the older we get the better we were"
Would the NIT still not have been the better choice? Confused why would pick going to Vegas over potentially multiple home games.
Winning team in Crown tourney last year received 300k to be used for NIL money to pay players. I guess maybe we think we can win it and need that money to pay Okori.
Winning team in Crown tourney last year received 300k to be used for NIL money to pay players. I guess maybe we think we can win it and need that money to pay Okori.
Would the NIT still not have been the better choice? Confused why would pick going to Vegas over potentially multiple home games.
Winning team in Crown tourney last year received 300k to be used for NIL money to pay players. I guess maybe we think we can win it and need that money to pay Okori.
Winning team in Crown tourney last year received 300k to be used for NIL money to pay players. I guess maybe we think we can win it and need that money to pay Okori.
03-15-2026, 09:22 PM
(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote:(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
If there's one thing people have learned in Berkeley, it's that you can't put "Cal football" and "Rose Bowl" in the same sentence. The words just don't fit. You'd be better off linking "covered wagons" with "Mars travel." (Bruce Jenkins, Cal '70, SF Chronicle, Nov. 11, 2017)
(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote:(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
If there's one thing people have learned in Berkeley, it's that you can't put "Cal football" and "Rose Bowl" in the same sentence. The words just don't fit. You'd be better off linking "covered wagons" with "Mars travel." (Bruce Jenkins, Cal '70, SF Chronicle, Nov. 11, 2017)
03-15-2026, 09:49 PM
Meanwhile the well traveled Stojakovic and U of Ill. are a 3 seed, playing Ivy champ UPenn in round 1. Go Quakers!
03-16-2026, 05:59 AM
(03-15-2026, 09:22 PM)Papa John Wrote:(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote:(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Indiana, Cincy, and Seton Hall are all declining. USC's Musselman quoted a few days ago as will "probably" decline.
(03-15-2026, 09:22 PM)Papa John Wrote:(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote:(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Indiana, Cincy, and Seton Hall are all declining. USC's Musselman quoted a few days ago as will "probably" decline.
03-16-2026, 09:51 AM
(03-16-2026, 05:59 AM)SamuelMcF Wrote:(03-15-2026, 09:22 PM)Papa John Wrote:(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote:(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Indiana, Cincy, and Seton Hall are all declining. USC's Musselman quoted a few days ago as will "probably" decline.
Good catch, Samuel. According to USA Today, the following teams declined NIT bids as of last night:
Belmont
Virginia Tech
San Diego State
Seton Hall
Indiana
Florida State
Oklahoma
If there's one thing people have learned in Berkeley, it's that you can't put "Cal football" and "Rose Bowl" in the same sentence. The words just don't fit. You'd be better off linking "covered wagons" with "Mars travel." (Bruce Jenkins, Cal '70, SF Chronicle, Nov. 11, 2017)
(03-16-2026, 05:59 AM)SamuelMcF Wrote:(03-15-2026, 09:22 PM)Papa John Wrote:(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote:(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Indiana, Cincy, and Seton Hall are all declining. USC's Musselman quoted a few days ago as will "probably" decline.
Good catch, Samuel. According to USA Today, the following teams declined NIT bids as of last night:
Belmont
Virginia Tech
San Diego State
Seton Hall
Indiana
Florida State
Oklahoma
If there's one thing people have learned in Berkeley, it's that you can't put "Cal football" and "Rose Bowl" in the same sentence. The words just don't fit. You'd be better off linking "covered wagons" with "Mars travel." (Bruce Jenkins, Cal '70, SF Chronicle, Nov. 11, 2017)
03-16-2026, 09:56 AM
Ironic that Indiana won a national title in football but didn’t even make the tournament in basketball.
BC
BC
Ironic that Indiana won a national title in football but didn’t even make the tournament in basketball.
BC
BC
03-16-2026, 11:49 AM
(03-16-2026, 09:51 AM)Papa John Wrote:I get Indiana. But Belmont? Belmont turned down an NIT bid?(03-16-2026, 05:59 AM)SamuelMcF Wrote:(03-15-2026, 09:22 PM)Papa John Wrote:(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote:(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Indiana, Cincy, and Seton Hall are all declining. USC's Musselman quoted a few days ago as will "probably" decline.
Good catch, Samuel. According to USA Today, the following teams declined NIT bids as of last night:
Belmont
Virginia Tech
San Diego State
Seton Hall
Indiana
Florida State
Oklahoma
Here's how many times each of those teams have been in the NCAA tournament:
Indiana, 42
Oklahoma, 33
Florida State, 18
San Diego State, 17
Seton Hall, 14
Virginia Tech, 13
Belmont, 8
Audaces fortuna iuvat
(03-16-2026, 09:51 AM)Papa John Wrote:I get Indiana. But Belmont? Belmont turned down an NIT bid?(03-16-2026, 05:59 AM)SamuelMcF Wrote:(03-15-2026, 09:22 PM)Papa John Wrote:(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote:(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.
so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
Quote:It will have the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn't receive an NCAA Tournament bid, as well as two wild card selections determined by its committee.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Indiana, Cincy, and Seton Hall are all declining. USC's Musselman quoted a few days ago as will "probably" decline.
Good catch, Samuel. According to USA Today, the following teams declined NIT bids as of last night:
Belmont
Virginia Tech
San Diego State
Seton Hall
Indiana
Florida State
Oklahoma
Here's how many times each of those teams have been in the NCAA tournament:
Indiana, 42
Oklahoma, 33
Florida State, 18
San Diego State, 17
Seton Hall, 14
Virginia Tech, 13
Belmont, 8
Audaces fortuna iuvat
03-16-2026, 12:24 PM
(03-16-2026, 11:49 AM)Mick Wrote:(03-16-2026, 09:51 AM)Papa John Wrote:I get Indiana. But Belmont? Belmont turned down an NIT bid?(03-16-2026, 05:59 AM)SamuelMcF Wrote:(03-15-2026, 09:22 PM)Papa John Wrote:(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote: so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Indiana, Cincy, and Seton Hall are all declining. USC's Musselman quoted a few days ago as will "probably" decline.
Good catch, Samuel. According to USA Today, the following teams declined NIT bids as of last night:
Belmont
Virginia Tech
San Diego State
Seton Hall
Indiana
Florida State
Oklahoma
Here's how many times each of those teams have been in the NCAA tournament:
Indiana, 42
Oklahoma, 33
Florida State, 18
San Diego State, 17
Seton Hall, 14
Virginia Tech, 13
Belmont, 8
Belmont's coach took the Kansas State job, which must have had something to do with their declining the NIT bid.
If there's one thing people have learned in Berkeley, it's that you can't put "Cal football" and "Rose Bowl" in the same sentence. The words just don't fit. You'd be better off linking "covered wagons" with "Mars travel." (Bruce Jenkins, Cal '70, SF Chronicle, Nov. 11, 2017)
(03-16-2026, 11:49 AM)Mick Wrote:(03-16-2026, 09:51 AM)Papa John Wrote:I get Indiana. But Belmont? Belmont turned down an NIT bid?(03-16-2026, 05:59 AM)SamuelMcF Wrote:(03-15-2026, 09:22 PM)Papa John Wrote:(03-15-2026, 07:26 PM)82lsju Wrote: so it appears that this year The Crown is an eight team tournament. It does not start until Apr 1 so presumably teams in it get to practice for the next two weeks which would be more practices than if you lost in the first two rounds of the NIT.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/
the field will include
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...100594007/
so it looks like two spots are available to teams not in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East
Big 10
NCAA tournament (9): Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Indiana (9-11, 18-14); USC (7-13, 18-14) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Big 12
NCAA tournament (8): Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
NIT (1): Oklahoma State
Best remaining: West Virginia (9-9, 18-14); Cincinnati (9-9, 18-15)
Big East
NCAA tournament (3): St. John's, UConn, Villanova
NIT (0)
Best remaining: Seton Hall (10-10, 21-12); DePaul (8-12, 16-16 ) or Butler (7-13, 16-16) -- all others have losing conference and overall records
Indiana, Cincy, and Seton Hall are all declining. USC's Musselman quoted a few days ago as will "probably" decline.
Good catch, Samuel. According to USA Today, the following teams declined NIT bids as of last night:
Belmont
Virginia Tech
San Diego State
Seton Hall
Indiana
Florida State
Oklahoma
Here's how many times each of those teams have been in the NCAA tournament:
Indiana, 42
Oklahoma, 33
Florida State, 18
San Diego State, 17
Seton Hall, 14
Virginia Tech, 13
Belmont, 8
Belmont's coach took the Kansas State job, which must have had something to do with their declining the NIT bid.
If there's one thing people have learned in Berkeley, it's that you can't put "Cal football" and "Rose Bowl" in the same sentence. The words just don't fit. You'd be better off linking "covered wagons" with "Mars travel." (Bruce Jenkins, Cal '70, SF Chronicle, Nov. 11, 2017)
03-16-2026, 12:25 PM
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.
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.
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.
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.
03-16-2026, 02:09 PM
So, we declined the NIT before being invited because we had already said "yes" to the crown? Or we were certain enuf that we would be invited to the Crown, and we preferred it? Or,.......
So, we declined the NIT before being invited because we had already said "yes" to the crown? Or we were certain enuf that we would be invited to the Crown, and we preferred it? Or,.......
03-16-2026, 02:45 PM
I bet Billy Tubbs/Oklahoma wished they had declined the NIT 35 years ago, but I’m sure happy Stanford didn’t. The only time I have ever seen a 9-point play in person… and in Madison Square Garden, no less. And getting to go to the team victory party afterwards was fun, too.
Good times, good times…
Good times, good times…
I bet Billy Tubbs/Oklahoma wished they had declined the NIT 35 years ago, but I’m sure happy Stanford didn’t. The only time I have ever seen a 9-point play in person… and in Madison Square Garden, no less. And getting to go to the team victory party afterwards was fun, too.
Good times, good times…
Good times, good times…
03-16-2026, 03:06 PM
03-16-2026, 03:42 PM
(03-16-2026, 03:06 PM)2006alum Wrote: We play WVU on FS1 at 5 p.m., April 2.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/#bracket
Thanks the link.
Looks like 7 of 8 are power 4 conf teams.
Only Creighton isn't, but they Big East and of course have a long history of good basketball.
(03-16-2026, 03:06 PM)2006alum Wrote: We play WVU on FS1 at 5 p.m., April 2.
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/#bracket
Thanks the link.
Looks like 7 of 8 are power 4 conf teams.
Only Creighton isn't, but they Big East and of course have a long history of good basketball.
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