Snubs, consolation tournaments, etc.

[wilson]

OK, so we know by now that Thugberg and the cHokies failed to seal up their bid by virtue of their two consecutive losses after beating us in Cassell a couple of weeks ago (Next play, boys...next play.). I actually think that this year is their best case for having been snubbed in the last several, but the fact is that they simply did not take care of business. You cannot lose to BC by 16 points on Senior Night and then act like you're comfortably in. You cannot claim a single ACC Tournament victory, by a gnat's ass, in a remarkably poorly played game, and claim that you're in. Once again, the cHokies had a joke of a non-conference schedule, and they thought that by getting up and playing out of their shoes for one night (coupled with an abysmal end-game performance by our Blue Devils), they could still convince the selection committee. I do think the committee made a few curious choices this year, but I don't feel bad for the cHokies, especially in light of the Greco-Roman style basketball they love to play.

The other thing I find really surprising? We knew Gary and the Twerps weren't going to make the big tournament, but they didn't even make the NIT! I'm frankly shocked that a 19-win ACC team could be left out of that tournament, which features the likes of Florida Atlantic, Bethune-Cookman, and McNeese State. Depending on who you ask, Maryland subsequently either preemptively told the CBI that they weren't interested in participating, or didn't get invited to that either. If they actively opted not to participate, I really can't blame them; that event is said to be a profound money-loser for all participants anyway.
Still, just kind of weird that they'd be totally shut out of even the consolation tournaments. I don't think this will play too well in College Park.

[CameronBornAndBred]

The other thing I find really surprising? We knew Gary and the Twerps weren't going to make the big tournament, but they didn't even make the NIT! I'm frankly shocked that a 19-win ACC team could be left out of that tournament, which features the likes of Florida Atlantic, Bethune-Cookman, and McNeese State. Depending on who you ask, Maryland subsequently either preemptively told the CBI that they weren't interested in participating, or didn't get invited to that either.

“I’m shocked,” Maryland Coach Gary Williams said in a telephone interview soon afterward. Williams hadn’t received advance notice and, like his players, only learned that the Terrapins (19-14) would not be going to postseason by watching the selection show, expecting to learn at any minute his team’s seeding and first-round opponent.

“We beat Penn State. We beat Clemson. We beat Florida State,” Williams said, citing three opponents that made the NCAA tournament. “We beat N.C. State in the ACC tournament and played Duke as well as anybody did in the ACC tournament.”

Williams said he would decline an invitation to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, if offered.

“I have no interest in playing in that tournament,” he said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ncaa-bask ... story.html

[captmojo]

Williams said he would decline an invitation to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, if offered.

“I have no interest in playing in that tournament,” he said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ncaa-bask ... story.html

I suppose he thinks that appointment to the NCAAs is a birthright?
Too good to test the NIT field?
Duke is a natural rival?
Answer: No, to all three.

[bjornolf]

You cannot claim a single ACC Tournament victory, by a gnat's ass, in a remarkably poorly played game, and claim that you're in.

Well, to be completely fair, they DID beat Georgia Tech by 16 Thursday and FSU by 1 on Friday, so they had two tourney wins, not one, and
they DID play us closer than Carowhina did ;). Not saying they deserved to be in because of that, just trying to get the facts straight.

I do, however, think that they deserved a bid over some teams. Jay Bilas was complaining that there were more teams with 13 and 14 losses getting bids than ever before. At least VT was 21-11 with an ACC record of 9-7.

[wilson]

You cannot claim a single ACC Tournament victory, by a gnat's ass, in a remarkably poorly played game, and claim that you're in.

Well, to be completely fair, they DID beat Georgia Tech by 16 Thursday and FSU by 1 on Friday, so they had two tourney wins, not one, and they DID play us closer than Carowhina did ;). Not saying they deserved to be in because of that, just trying to get the facts straight.

Good catch. Thanks for clarifying.
However, any victory against the Bumblebees this year should be listed in the JV column (hey heels, wonder what that means about a 20-point loss to them? ).

[captmojo]

I think it fair to look at their style of play and suppose that the committee did not want to be, in any possible way, to be considered responsible for what havoc this bunch might be willing to stoop to.*






*(see saving possession, by throwing ball off of opponent's head as hard as you can while he is standing out of bounds, even though you have your own full balance afoot and are in no danger of yourself falling over the line)

[lawgrad91]

There were some teams automatically in the NIT by virtue of playing and losing in their conference tournament championships. Maryland would have to receive an at large bid, and there weren't enough of those to go around.

[wilson]

There were some teams automatically in the NIT by virtue of playing and losing in their conference tournament championships. Maryland would have to receive an at large bid, and there weren't enough of those to go around.

That's correct, and I read somewhere that the head of the NIT selection committee said that there were fewer at-large slots this year than usual. Evidently, an inordinate amount of regular-season conference champs were upset in their conference tournaments. Maryland was not the only big name to be left out of the NIT. Minnesota and Mississippi State, to name a couple, are also in that club.
Another interesting factoid: This snaps a streak of Maryland postseason appearances that stretched back to 1993, leaving Duke, I believe, with the longest such current streak in the ACC, at 16 straight seasons.

[robertduke32]

There were some teams automatically in the NIT by virtue of playing and losing in their conference tournament championships. Maryland would have to receive an at large bid, and there weren't enough of those to go around.

That's correct, and I read somewhere that the head of the NIT selection committee said that there were fewer at-large slots this year than usual. Evidently, an inordinate amount of regular-season conference champs were upset in their conference tournaments. Maryland was not the only big name to be left out of the NIT. Minnesota and Mississippi State, to name a couple, are also in that club.
Another interesting factoid: This snaps a streak of Maryland postseason appearances that stretched back to 1993, leaving Duke, I believe, with the longest such current streak in the ACC, at 16 straight seasons.

That is correct. Also, check out Clemson in their 4th straight appearance. Brad Brownell is a really good coach. They're definitely on the rise as a program with him at the helm. In fact, I think the ACC coaching is improved and will improve with the subtraction of Hewitt and Lowe to come and hopefully Greenberg soon. His comments about the committee were an embarrassment to the school. Freak.

[lawgrad91]

There were some teams automatically in the NIT by virtue of playing and losing in their conference tournament championships. Maryland would have to receive an at large bid, and there weren't enough of those to go around.

That's correct, and I read somewhere that the head of the NIT selection committee said that there were fewer at-large slots this year than usual. Evidently, an inordinate amount of regular-season conference champs were upset in their conference tournaments. Maryland was not the only big name to be left out of the NIT. Minnesota and Mississippi State, to name a couple, are also in that club.
Another interesting factoid: This snaps a streak of Maryland postseason appearances that stretched back to 1993, leaving Duke, I believe, with the longest such current streak in the ACC, at 16 straight seasons.

That is correct. Also, check out Clemson in their 4th straight appearance. Brad Brownell is a really good coach. They're definitely on the rise as a program with him at the helm. In fact, I think the ACC coaching is improved and will improve with the subtraction of Hewitt and Lowe to come and hopefully Greenberg soon. His comments about the committee were an embarrassment to the school. Freak.

You do have to wonder if Seth is related to Charlie Sheen. (Not) WINNING!!!! The reporter Seth talked to actually fell for his nonsense, saying that just because you're paranoid doesn't mean people aren't after you.