NITology: Michigan moving up
The latest NITology is very interesting.
In the credible NITology by bracketmatrix that was released the day before yesterday's loss, it has Michigan as a 5 seed in a rematch of the 1989 NCAA Championship. They would play at 4 seed Seton Hall.
Michigan was a mid-6 seed last week. Their win over OSU really gave them a bump in the seedings. The next game is obviously a must win if they want to move up/avoid moving down.
A 4 seed gets them a first round home game.
That's just the same flag, resized smaller. I want a different tiny flag.
How much of a bump would wins against Northwestern and Rutgers give though?
I bought that line year after year until I realized we were building an NIT dynasty and nothing more.
Win the next 2 games and then let's see where they are sitting.
A run in the NIT can be better than a first round NCAA exit (not saying that we will make a run in the NIT or would exit first round if we made NCAA).
They're not mutually exclusive. You'd rather be in the NCAA, but the team may well see more improvement and development from the NIT run vs. opening round loss in the NCAA. The more game and practice time JB and Co get with their frosh the better. If DW gets back for the post season, that will be particularly true.
And I didn't know Spike was going to need a procedure done on his hip in the offseason. If we're in the NIT, I'd rather see them go with the guys playing now and give Spike more rest. Depending on attrition everywhere else, this could be a preseason top 3 team in the B1G. No need risking that by further injuring our starting and backup PGs for next year.
I agree if that is, in fact, a risk. If there's no risk to additional damage then I'd like to see the team with DW and it would give Spike a break as well.
To supplement the OP's discussion - I assume this is what he saw - here is the full brack from BracketMatrix - LINK
As the OP notes, they currently have us as one of the #5 teams playing #4 Seton Hall, and then if we won that, the projection is that we play the winner of Tulsa and Washington. Surviving that, in their scenario, it's either St. Mary's, Toledo, Minnesota or Illinois State.
FWIW, the site dratings.com has us as a #6 in the NIT.
Florida a 2 seed in the DRatings one? With a losing record?
LOL
I'd celebrate that as hard as I did the B1G Championship last year.
Would be amazing to win a championship after this season. I'm already proud of these guys for turning the thing around and putting it in the direction of a postseason tournament.
Think about it. Michigan has played two walk ons this season. Significant minutes. And they beat a ranked team!
Plain and simple, it's fun to win tournaments.
When we won it in 2004, it was a blast, NIT or not.
That was my first taste of any success in Michigan Basketball.
Who knew the team Michigan beat to win the NIT that year would be a conference opponent 11 years later?
When they lit up the Empire State building in red because Rutgres was in the NIT Final, I said to my wife: "That's going to get them in the Big Ten."
For the kids sake, I hope they at least make the NIT. The freshmen could really use the experience.
Im still holding out hope that they will miracuously win the BTT. Im setting myself up for disappointment, I know.