Of course we all love the NCAA tourney and it sucks up all of the media attention. But I have also equally loved the NIT tournament. I have noticed that most sports fans, and many that wager dismiss it's relevance and entertainment value.
1) Many say the winner of the NIT is the 65th best team. Not true at all. I would argue that the final four of the NIT are on par with the sweet 16 of the NCAA. The winner of the NIT is at least a top-10 team when all is said and done.
2) Played on home courts. Now some would say NCAA is more fair on a neutral court, but we all know these brackets are drawn up with loads of bias, and there are winners and losers. The NIT plays on home courts based on seeding, and that is the same way it is done in many sports and we don't blink an eye knowing the regular season means something and they earned that home court. Having a home crowd intensifies the electricity in the air, which means a better game.
3) NIT plays on nights the NCAA teams are travelling or resting. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - we got games. Love it.
4) Capping advantage. Bubble teams that don't make it to NCAA can be initially discounted in the NIT due to the disappointment factor. Same as bowl teams that don't get the bowl they want.
I could also write a shit-ton about conference tournaments. They seem to be downgraded as everybody is focused on the NCAA in early March. I love the conference tournaments. I hear that the B1G tourny will be a week earlier so teams can rest... this will be interesting to see if it starts a trend, and if the B1G teams do well with that rest.
So as we head towards March please enjoy every minute of the conference tournaments and the NIT. You get paid the same amount for picking the correct side. And for entertainment value, you cannot beat these games in terms of drama.
1) Many say the winner of the NIT is the 65th best team. Not true at all. I would argue that the final four of the NIT are on par with the sweet 16 of the NCAA. The winner of the NIT is at least a top-10 team when all is said and done.
2) Played on home courts. Now some would say NCAA is more fair on a neutral court, but we all know these brackets are drawn up with loads of bias, and there are winners and losers. The NIT plays on home courts based on seeding, and that is the same way it is done in many sports and we don't blink an eye knowing the regular season means something and they earned that home court. Having a home crowd intensifies the electricity in the air, which means a better game.
3) NIT plays on nights the NCAA teams are travelling or resting. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - we got games. Love it.
4) Capping advantage. Bubble teams that don't make it to NCAA can be initially discounted in the NIT due to the disappointment factor. Same as bowl teams that don't get the bowl they want.
I could also write a shit-ton about conference tournaments. They seem to be downgraded as everybody is focused on the NCAA in early March. I love the conference tournaments. I hear that the B1G tourny will be a week earlier so teams can rest... this will be interesting to see if it starts a trend, and if the B1G teams do well with that rest.
So as we head towards March please enjoy every minute of the conference tournaments and the NIT. You get paid the same amount for picking the correct side. And for entertainment value, you cannot beat these games in terms of drama.