Tennessee (2-seed) loses to Mercer (7-seed) in first round of NIT

Submitted by a2_electricboogaloo on

Normally,  I don't think this would be board worthy.  But after Tennessee Coach Cuonzo Martin complained yesterday about how the SEC was treated like a mid major in the NCAA tournament selection, I can't resist.

For those who missed Martin's comments, here are the ones from yesterday:

Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin predicted two weeks ago that the SEC would earn six bids.

Martin said the SEC's three bids were an ''embarrassment'' after the brackets were revealed, and he didn't back down from those comments Monday. He said Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama are ''NCAA tournament teams'' that landed in the NIT.

''It's almost like a mid-major mentality in this league, when you've got your second-place team that doesn't get in the NCAA tournament,'' Martin said. ''This is a BCS league. It's one of the best leagues in America. That shouldn't happen.''

The SEC's non-conference performance indicates it actually wasn't one of the best leagues in the nation this season.

And then Tennessee and Kentucky went on to lose in the first round of the NIT, to Mercer and Robert Morris respectively.  That's a true power conference right there.

Wolverine Devotee

March 20th, 2013 at 11:05 PM ^

Treated as a mid major is doing a disservice to mid majors. Since the SEC is 0-2 so far against them in postseason play.

MH20

March 21st, 2013 at 12:26 AM ^

I kept wanting to think that Mercer had beaten a few other "BCS-level" teams earlier this season, and then it hit me:

Mercer defeated Alabama.  In Tuscaloosa.

S-E-C!

(Mercer also beat Florida State in Tallahassee)

MGo_Bro

March 20th, 2013 at 11:22 PM ^

Gotta be kinda dissapointing for the conference when two of your four best teams go out in the first round of the NIT. Florida's (I picked them) potential Final Four run is the only thing keeping the SEC from being a total non factor in college basketball this year.

It'd be nicer to see this happen in football, but I'll take what I can get. 

MGo_Bro

March 21st, 2013 at 12:09 AM ^

Yeah. Florida lost to both Kentucky and Tennessee within the last 25 days. Who just lost as heavy favorites to mid-majors. I know the transitive property doesn't always apply in sports, but wow, that doesn't inspire confidence. 

Soulfire21

March 21st, 2013 at 10:06 AM ^

Not really, I think.  In their wins, they blow people out, ther losses come by 1-2 possessions in 5 of their 7, eventually Florida will win games that come down to the wire like that, and I like them to start doing so in the tournament.

Perkis-Size Me

March 20th, 2013 at 11:41 PM ^

Now that's what I call poetic justice.



But I'm sure somewhere, someplace, Commissioner Slive is giving absolutely zero shits about his conference's basketball woes.



All he's thinking about is his NFL factories, future SEC football dominance and an almost certain 8th straight national title.

samdrussBLUE

March 20th, 2013 at 11:46 PM ^

I still don't see him complaining about the treatment. I see him saying the league should be better and should be embarrassed at their overall performance. We should also expect more from ourselves than to continually bring this garbage up. Nothing to see here,move along.

WolvinLA2

March 20th, 2013 at 11:52 PM ^

That's not what he was saying. He specifically said that Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee were tournament teams but didn't get in. He was not calling out his league (because then he was calling of himself) he was bitching. And this is what he gets.

oriental andrew

March 21st, 2013 at 12:00 AM ^

I don't think you know how "respectively" works...

"And then Kentucky and Tennessee went on to lose in the first round of the NIT, to Mercer and Robert Morris respectively.  That's a true power conference right there."

Ty Butterfield

March 21st, 2013 at 12:19 AM ^

I certainly understand the irony involved. HOWEVA, I don't think it is good karma to get too excited about this when Michigan does not have a very good chance of making it out of the first weekend of the tournament.

TRUEwolverine

March 21st, 2013 at 2:58 AM ^

 

Sorry for the thread jack, but seeing as how I do not have enough points to make my own, I figured that I would pass this information along in the most recent board post. If anyone feels this story warrants its own thread, please create one on my behalf.

It appears that Jordan Drake - a former MSU Football recruit - was sentenced 18 months probation after facing felony charges for "adulterating a food item" in relation to his senior prank. Drake distributed breath mints containing a certain bodily fluid to his classmates. This is just an odd story, and it appears Drake lost his scholarship as a result.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/jordan-drake-semen-breath-mint…