01.26.2009 8:45 pm
A fourth postseason basketball tournament now exists.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
SLU’s chances of playing postseason basketball just got a little better with the announcement of a fourth postseason tournament. Now if you don’t make the NCAAs or the NIT, you have the CBI or the, well, I don’t know that it has a name yet, to fall back on.
The relevant part of the rules for SLU is:
To be eligible, teams must have a winning record against Division I opponents. Priority will be given to schools whose conferences have fewer than half their teams in the NCAA and NIT.
Last year, the A-10 got exactly half of its teams in the NCAA or NIT, but in most years, this would work to the A-10’s favor.
Frankly, I’m fine with having as many postseason tournaments as you want since, other than the NCAA, no one cares about them.
So Tom…basically you are saying if the Bills can’t find a way to get into one of these 4 tournaments, we got some major issues.
I think I’m saying if SLU finishes above .500 this year, they almost have to end up going somewhere. Assuming they want to. The CBI was looking for a big guarantee last year from participating schools.
SLU doesn’t deserve to be a participant in any post-season tournament. Is the season over yet? Another season of lackluster and uninspiring basketball w/ this Majerus led team. I’d swear this team was more talented and exciting under Soderberg.
I find it frustrating that people are so down on this basketball team. Why can’t they realize that this is rebuilding is a process? Majerus came in with very little to help the new system he wanted to install. He was essentially starting from scratch. Success doesn’t come overnight. Most of these players are working themselves into a NEW system. You have freshmen that, yes even 19 games into the season, are still learning Majerus’ system and how to best utilize each other for success. Instant success was never a realistic expectation. Majerus isn’t building a team for a “lightning in a bottle season” he is re-building a program for repeated success.
This does increase the Billikens chances but not by much. There are only 16 extra teams. It also seems like it will be looking to fill up with 3-5 place teams in 1-2 bid conferences. This seems like SLU might have a better chance in the CBI (which is becoming more and more a “vanity” tournament).
Tom, it will definitely take more than a .500 record for two reasons. SOS of schedule will have to come into play somewhat so just making over .500 will not put SLU into the next as way more than 128 teams will end up over .500. Also, if they end up just “over .500″ they would likely be 7th or worse in the A10 and then they would be victim of the stated priority of selected the top half of conferences.
Also remember BOTH the NIT and NCAA have automatic bids of teams outside of the “top 128″ so SLU would have to be objectively in the top 100-110 in order to qualify. Obviously this depends on the criteria that the tournament uses. I think even if SLU finishes 16-13 and 1-1 they would be iffy but that is admittedly a guess because the new tournament has no history.
Hey, if we’re in it, we might as well WIN IT!!! GO BILLS!!! BEAT LONGWOOD!
I just hope that if we do end up in this new tournament that we don’t hang a banner for it at Chaifetz.