Although it provides a nice diversion
while we wait for the “real” tournament to start, it is time to pull the plug on the N.I.T. The National Invitational Tournament is designed to give a stage to the “also-rans” of college basketball – teams number 66 through 97 – and extend the season for the fans of the home teams. However, nothing is gained by winning this tournament, or even playing in it.
Case in point: Connecticut. At the time of the writing of this column, the first NIT game is on television. Northeastern is playing at UConn. Northeastern came out on fire, taking a 10-2 lead. Connecticut came out looking like they were sleepwalking. And while UConn may come back and win by 30, it begs the question: Truly, who can blame them? For teams that typically go to the Big Dance (UConn, North Carolina, and Memphis leap to mind), what is the motivation to play in the NIT? And for the “little guys”, like Northeastern, is the NIT their “Big Dance”, because they know they could never make it to the real one?
If that is the case, maybe the Big Dance ought to be for the “Big Boys” of college basketball, and the mid-majors and smaller schools should compete in the NIT. Didn’t we all learn on the playground to “pick on someone your own size”? At the very least, can we just put teams in there that really want to go?
Many people believe that the NCAA tournament should stay at 64 (well, 65) teams, and neither expand nor contract. However, maybe it is time to consider moving up to 96 teams, and eliminating the NIT. That would be one way to ensure that every game is meaningful, and players are motivated to play for their tournament lives.
