Conference tournament vs NCAA tournament success

JaredL · #1 03-11-2007, 05:52 PM

I was thinking about the value of winning the conference tournament. A common line is that winning, or at least making the final of, the conference tournament makes the team tired and less likely to go far in the NCAA tournament. Given that, I would probably still rather win it. I think a key is that as an Oregon fan I don't think my team really has much of a chance to go all the way or even to the final four. The way they played in the Pac 10 tournament leads to believe that they can beat anybody, but I don't know that they can keep that level up for 6 in a row against top teams.

For me, I think at the end of the season the conference tournaments probably good for about a round and a half. I'd be happier if Oregon won the conference tournament and lost in the round of 32 than if they didn't and only made it to the Sweet 16, but I'd rather they not win the conference tournament and make it to the elite eight. Making the Final Four would trump any conference considerations.

Also curious what you guys think of the NIT. I'd put winning the NIT at somewhere between making the Sweet 16 and making the Elite Eight. It's obviously a sort of loser's tournament but I think winning it would be a bit more satisfying than getting through 2 rounds of the dance. Anything other than winning the NIT would be basically worthless. Maybe making the final would be about the same as losing in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

Assani Fisher · #2 03-11-2007, 05:56 PM

I'd rather win the NIT than the main tournament. I like it better.

TheNoodleMan · #3 03-11-2007, 05:58 PM

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I'd rather win the NIT than the main tournament. I like it better.

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You are one prodigious troll.

IggyWH · #4 03-11-2007, 06:00 PM

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For me, I think at the end of the season the conference tournaments probably good for about a round and a half.

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Jim Boeheim would not agree with you.

Clarkmeister · #5 03-11-2007, 06:01 PM

I'd far rather lose in the first round of the NCAAs than win the NIT.

MicroBob · #6 03-11-2007, 06:16 PM

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I'd put winning the NIT at somewhere between making the Sweet 16 and making the Elite Eight.

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I don't think this is correct.
Winning the NIT is fairly exciting I suspect. But do you really think South Carolina would have rather won the smaller tourney than make a run in the NCAA?

I've been associated with Miami (Ohio) a couple times when they went ot the NIT. One time they went to the NIT final-8 and lost at Georgetown.
Their home win the previous week over Old Dominion was pretty exciting in front of a loud and boisterous crowd.
Not the same as winning the whole thing of course. Just an early round win.

But in 99 I was following them when they had Wally Szczerbiak and upset 7 seed Washington and 2 seed Utah in New Orleans before losing to UK in St. Louis in the Sweet 16.
Wally was on the cover of USA Today and there were CBS cameras swarming all over town getting footage.
It was beyond exciting. The whole community was overjoyed.

After each upset win in New Orleans there were staff members and long-time fans crying they were so overjoyed.

Yeah, winning the NIT would be pretty nice too.
But I just can't imagine it's the same as the drama involved in pulling off the big upsets to make it to the Sweet 16.

Perhaps this is different for a mid-major bracket-buster type team like Miami who doesn't get many NCAA tourney chances much less runs to the sweet 16.

a team like Duke or UNC that gets to the sweet 16 all the time it probably doesn't feel like quite as big a deal. But neither would winning the NIT for either of those programs.

TheNoodleMan · #7 03-11-2007, 06:22 PM

Can anyone remember who won the NIT the last 10-15 years? not really.

How many of us remember Bryce Drew?

Pudge714 · #8 03-11-2007, 06:59 PM

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I'd rather win the NIT than the main tournament. I like it better.

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Are you making ridiculous statements just to see how many people have you on ignore?

MicroBob · #9 03-11-2007, 07:11 PM

Jared - I also disagree that doing well in the conference tourney makes that big a difference.

The first round games are on Thurs or Friday. Plenty of time to rest up and put something together for their next matchup.

Is there statistical backing of this theory?

ligastar · #10 03-11-2007, 07:18 PM

UNC's last two titles: 1993 - lost to Ga Tech in the ACCT Final; 2005 - lost to Ga Tech in the ACCT Semis.