Way down on the basketball radar this year is the brand new "The Basketball Classic" tournament, from the same folks behind what used to be the CollegeInsider tourney.
This year, they had the pie-in-the-sky hopes of making a 32-team field, but at the moment, still just 22 teams have opted in, with teams left and right declining to play.
This thing's supposed to start TODAY, but only 9 of the hoped-for 16 first round matchups have even been announced.
And their website's an absolute joke, with links that don't work and still nary a game listed in their schedule section. Right this minute they're scraping middle-of-the pack teams from the dead-last MEAC(!) to try and fill out their bracket.The same kind of thing happened back in 2019, when they ended up going with 26 teams instead of the 32 they hoped for.
And in 2018 it happened again, as only 20 teams eventually made up the CIT field.
2017? Same deal, with just 26 teams instead of 32. You'd think that they would have learned that a bunch of teams just don't want to play in their crappy tournament, but nope, it keeps happening over and over again.
Their model seems to be "let's hope for 32, but in the end we'll take whoever wants to play, no matter what".
@carrcar not going to happen everybody won't get their money in the power 5 conferences just like they won't expand football playoffs doubt if you see another Cincinnati like this year
Why didn’t we look at the Basketball Classic? They said there’s no entry fee. I would love to watch us play Cal Baptist or whatever
Bow Em
I too would like to play anywhere.
The extra playing time and practice is very valuable.
We may just want to move on but I think there is some value of playing ball.
It's extra valuable since we lose so few players.
I trust Bryan for what's best though
This Basketball Classic deal is going ahead with 21 - yep 21 - teams, instead of the 32 they hoped for.
Wofford is already getting a bye, as I think Cornell may have had Covid issues. That's my only guess, as they were the only two teams left who agreed to play and weren't paired up with anyone yet, and now both the official site and the Wikipedia entry don't mention Cornell at all, only that Wofford's opponent "forfeited due to Covid". They don't even say who the team was, so it only leaves more questions than answers.
So, when the ten scheduled first round games that are in place are wrapped up, you'll then have 11 teams left... so who gets byes after that?!? I haven't a clue, and I'm pretty sure the folks running this don't know either.
And the main site is still very much a work-in-progress, as their About page still mentions this tournament being "a 32-team tournament open to deserving teams not selected to participate in the NCAA tournament or NIT".
Um, I think you can drop the "deserving" part of this and just say you couldn't find 32 teams that even WANTED to play in this.
NCAA Tournament is underway and I still have no idea how Michigan was an 11 seed, or even in the Tournament at all
Guess Michigan is still better than the best the Mountain West has to offer
Boise State down 19 to Memphis. Feels like the Mountain West collapses every March.
The "experts" all had South Dakota State as the trendy upset pick. So much for that. Providence wins close, like they always do
The "experts" all had South Dakota State as the trendy upset pick. So much for that. Providence wins close, like they always do
South Dakota State played an awful game until around the end. Game really was a lot closer than it should have been
The "experts" all had South Dakota State as the trendy upset pick. So much for that. Providence wins close, like they always do
South Dakota State played an awful game until around the end. Game really was a lot closer than it should have been
Providence doesn't blow anyone out, for whatever reason. Been this way the entire season. They'll win 10 close games in a row, get blown out by someone, then win 10 more close ones again. I'm guessing heart medicine sales have been skyrocketing in Rhode Island
Boise State down 19 to Memphis. Feels like the Mountain West collapses every March.
I was confident Boise was going to win this one. Surprised !!!
Boise State down 19 to Memphis. Feels like the Mountain West collapses every March.
I was confident Boise was going to win this one. Surprised !!!
Memphis is one of the hottest teams in basketball since the end of January. Ironically started when their prized recruit Emoni Bates got hurt. He's back though and they still look good.
Richmond doing a great job at slowing down Iowa and lead at the half
