Preseason NIT

Given our luck, the fourth team in our group will end up being duke

Given our luck, the fourth team in our group will end up being duke

It's Kansas State. The 4th team will probably wind up being an MVC caliber school, like a Northern Iowa or a Creighton.

It's Kansas State. The 4th team will probably wind up being an MVC caliber school, like a Northern Iowa or a Creighton.

Looks like Murray State is a possibility : http://espn.go.com/b...g-times-for-caa

Looks like Murray State is a possibility : http://espn.go.com/b...g-times-for-caa

Exactly the kind of challenge our guys would need to kick off the year. A Preseason NIT slate of K. St., Murray St., and a little Pat Knight to beat up on in the mix... I hope coach Benford and his staff is ready! I know the guys will be ready.

Really excited for this. An upset would be huge for us this season. We'll need a couple to get an at large bid if we don't win the SB Tournament.

It would be beyond nice for us to finally show up big in one of these big games we get play every now and then. When we play a road game against a ranked opponent, it usually is just brutal. It would be great if, just this once, we actually competed for 40 minutes. Heck, even if we lose, just keep it under 5. I get tired of these "opportunity" games in basketball being double digit losses.

It would be beyond nice for us to finally show up big in one of these big games we get play every now and then. When we play a road game against a ranked opponent, it usually is just brutal. It would be great if, just this once, we actually competed for 40 minutes. Heck, even if we lose, just keep it under 5. I get tired of these "opportunity" games in basketball being double digit losses.

We played a top 25 Texas A&M team to within ten a couple of years ago, and that was a highly competitive game.

Point differential in a basketball game is not always indicative of how close the game is. Free throws at the end for example can inflate the final score. By the same measure, sometimes games that were basically blowouts can end up under 15 or even 10 points once garbage time hits and the benches clear.

Looks like Murray State is a possibility : http://espn.go.com/b...g-times-for-caa

I would love to see this matchup. From what I remember, watching the tournament, the point guard from Murray State ( Isaiah Cannon) is basically an all-american. So, Chris get ready. Mitchell & Co vs Cannon & Co. One good note, Marquette beat Murray State in that 2nd round game, so i am sure Benford scouted Murray State.

We played a top 25 Texas A&M team to within ten a couple of years ago, and that was a highly competitive game.

Point differential in a basketball game is not always indicative of how close the game is. Free throws at the end for example can inflate the final score. By the same measure, sometimes games that were basically blowouts can end up under 15 or even 10 points once garbage time hits and the benches clear.

A grand total of 5 ranked teams (in the AP poll) lost 6 collective games on their home floor to OOC mid-major (meaning, sub-Mountain West/A-10 schools, including CUSA and WCC) teams last year.

Vanderbilt lost to Cleveland State in their 2nd game, 1st week of the season (ranked based on preseason evaluations at the time). They lost again to Indiana State a few weeks later.
Pitt lost to Long Beach State in game 3 of their season. Pitt was also still on a preseason ranking, and they wound up being pretty terrible and unworthy of the preseason hype/ranking (5-13 in conference).
Cincinnati lost a shocker to Presbyterian in game 3 of their season. They promptly fell right out of the rankings and never got back there again. Preseason ranking, couldn't sustain it.
Murray State beat Memphis halfway through their run at an undefeated season.
Oral Roberts beat Xavier when Xavier had to play without 3 starters because of their on-court fight with Cincinnati in the previous game.

The trick to beating a Top 25 team in their house seems to be:
1) Play one that doesn't actually deserve the ranking, sometime within their first 2 or 3 games before they get exposed as unworthy.
2) Goad one into a giant melee that takes 40% of their offense and 60% of their starting lineup out of commission, then swoop in and play them short handed.
3) Be so good that you nearly make it through the season undefeated, AND catch a slumping team that was barely hanging on in the rankings because they started out in the top 10 and hadn't quite spiraled all the way down to what wound up being a 6-5 start.

Anyone who may be wondering whether I overlooked road upsets by Memphis, Gonzaga, St. Mary's, Butler, VCU... Nope. I didn't. Even they didn't manage the feat.

A grand total of 5 ranked teams (in the AP poll) lost 6 collective games on their home floor to OOC mid-major (meaning, sub-Mountain West/A-10 schools, including CUSA and WCC) teams last year.

Vanderbilt lost to Cleveland State in their 2nd game, 1st week of the season (ranked based on preseason evaluations at the time). They lost again to Indiana State a few weeks later.
Pitt lost to Long Beach State in game 3 of their season. Pitt was also still on a preseason ranking, and they wound up being pretty terrible and unworthy of the preseason hype/ranking (5-13 in conference).
Cincinnati lost a shocker to Presbyterian in game 3 of their season. They promptly fell right out of the rankings and never got back there again. Preseason ranking, couldn't sustain it.
Murray State beat Memphis halfway through their run at an undefeated season.
Oral Roberts beat Xavierwhen Xavier had to play without 3 starters because of their on-court fight with Cincinnati in the previous game.

The trick to beating a Top 25 team in their house seems to be:
1) Play one that doesn't actually deserve the ranking, sometime within their first 2 or 3 games before they get exposed as unworthy.
2) Goad one into a giant melee that takes 40% of their offense and 60% of their starting lineup out of commission, then swoop in and play them short handed.
3) Be so good that you nearly make it through the season undefeated, AND catch a slumping team that was barely hanging on in the rankings because they started out in the top 10 and hadn't quite spiraled all the way down to what wound up being a 6-5 start.

Anyone who may be wondering whether I overlooked road upsets by Memphis, Gonzaga, St. Mary's, Butler, VCU... Nope. I didn't. Even they didn't manage the feat.

Nice research!

Murray State opts for Charleston Classic over NIT : KATZ

Murray State opts for Charleston Classic over NIT : KATZ

I'm hoping they go after Creighton...love to see McDermott and Mitchell go at it.

So, you're saying there is a chance?

Creighton's going to Las Vegas Invite alongside Arkansas, AZ State, and Wisconsin