UTEP playing in NIT

[Chanson]

Stop the presses & hold your kids tightly. The Miners are playing on Tues night at 5pm at The Don.
I bought my tickets. I'm really hoping we can pack the place to show these kids we want them all back.
Like I said before, we are good no matter what happens, but playing some post play means we are getting a sign from Golding that he wants the kids to come back & this may work.

[Minermojo]

Do you know whom we're playing?

[Miners1]

I thought they were playing in the Basketball Classic not NIT?

[Austintacious]

I assume they'll announce it tonight after the NCAA brackets are completed. 

[kyyote]

I thought they were playing in the Basketball Classic not NIT?

Correct... they will be at home for the opening round of the event at 5 p.m. MT Tuesday (March 15).

Appalachian State[2]   Sun Belt   19?14
Coastal Carolina[3]   Sun Belt   16?13
Florida Gulf Coast[4]   ASUN   21?11
New Orleans[5]   Southland   18?13
Portland[6]   WCC   18?14
South Alabama[7]   Sun Belt   19?11
UTEP[8]   C-USA   19?13
Wofford[9]   SoCon   19?13
Youngstown State[10]   Horizon League   18?14

"The 2022 The Basketball Classic presented by Eracism (TBC) is a single-elimination, fully-bracketed men's college basketball postseason tournament featuring 32 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams not selected to participate in the 2022 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament or the NIT. The tournament will begin on March 14 with the semifinals taking place March 29, and the championship Game scheduled for March 31. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.[1] In lieu of a traditional bracket, The Basketball Classic will use the old NIT model in which the field and matchups will be set after each round.

The Basketball Classic was founded by CollegeInsider.com to replace the former CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, which was discontinued after its scheduled 2020 and 2021 tournaments were cancelled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic."

Not sure the tournament can find 32 teams.

[Austintacious]

No news yet on who the Miners will be playing Tuesday.  I guess they're still finalizing the 32 team bracket.  Travel plans must be a mess to schedule on such short notice.

The NIT Bracket is set with 32 teams.   

[SisyphusMiner]

seems like the home team will have a substantial advantage.

The way we are playing right now, are there any of these teams we shouldn't be a heavy favorite?

[Miners1]

Austintacious is exactly right. I was thinking the same thing.  Now i can't help but wonder if this is even a legit tournament?

[Austintacious]

This used to be the College Insider Tournament (CIT) which did not play the last two years. 

[Miners1]

Yes i remember that. I just never watched it or payed attention to it till now

[SisyphusMiner]

It appears that Golding didn't want a tourney at all.  Some of his players did.  Golding agreed as long as it was home games which takes less time away from recruiting and for which he probably wouldn't bother to really meaningfully prep.  He wanted to be at the JC tourney this week.  Either he or some of his staff is probably there today.

It's really a useless tournament for us, except for a couple things -- mostly psychological.  As a home game, it may help rebuild the fan base.  Remember the women in the NIT?  El Paso may actually turn out for a championship game in whatever the heck this is.  The other thing is it ought to get us to 20 wins which I think is an important milestone for recruiting purposes.  I just think it's easier to convince a kid we are building something when you say we got 20+ wins the first season than saying we got 19 wins.  And lastly, maybe it alllows you to get some time in for guys like Clardy and Maring who you're still trying to decide where they fit into your plans

[kyyote]

I spent a lot of time last night and this morning trying to find anything on the teams and brackets for this tournament.  The only thing I found was a growing list of declines to participate.  The simple fact that we can't find anything does not give me any confidence in the entire tournament.  I understand that they have to wait until others have been chosen, but it is starting to look like a thing where we are just looking to see if anyone wants to play.  Completely meaningless, except for the players and fans as winning it or losing it means nothing. 

I do have a question for you folks in the know.  Has the season ended for Hollins?  Like would Boum who has his degree still be playing in this season's eligibility.  I guess it would be included as part of this season.  But I always remember that bowl games are an opportunity to see what some new players can do.  Like could the SDSU kid play in the tournament, Tuesday?

Last thing.  I was extremely happy when Golding started Onyema and Verhoeven had his best game.  But the next game, Golding started Sibley and the team seemed to be determined to keep going to TV even though it wasn't working like it did the previous game.  Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone had any insight into why he changed what had appeared to be such a great combination the game before. 

[Austintacious]

Mystery team is Western Illinois Leathernecks, 16-15.

[kyyote]

Thank you, Austintacious.  I think we are only going to lose Hollins to graduation.  I think there may be a real chance of losing TV and SB via the transfer porthole.  They have watched their teammate Bryson Williams go from obscurity to national stardom and his draft value from zilch to multimillionaire with Tech. But I also am fired up about the power big men coming up.  There will be tremendous growth between now and next season for Onyema, Kalu, Sibley, and even Maring, I think.  Sibley is a little thin but the other three are tanks, especially with another year with the weights. If TV is here he might have the power support needed to blow the place up, but I think he may feel the siren call of the cartels.

[Miners1]

Just 23 teams?