(03-12-2023 09:59 PM)Screwball Wrote: So if my math is correct; 68 teams in the dance, 16 seeds in the NIT - Toledo was not seeded - which at best makes us the 84th ranked team in the country. Toledo's NET ranking is 82. Michigan is 61.
Only MAC team in the tourney unless I missed something.
Adding: Kent is 59, UAB 57.
that's one metric. In RPI, Kenpom and others were more in the 60s. in offensive efficiency we are #1.
this game comes down to energy and really running the heck out of the offense. michigan does not know our tendencies and has minimal time and interest in film study. run offense, run offense, get easy shots, don't take tough shots you aren't gonna make, move the ball. shumate will give up layups and dunks to dickinson, but he will get more open looks than he did against jacobs and payton. this is a game we win by outscoring michigan. play fast. play the bench. finish strong.
and, this is what's wrong with college basketball tournaments. toledo and michigan are the natural pairing by vicinity. but having the game at michigan means little. they aren't excited to play toledo in the NIT when they expected a NCAA season. but if the game was in toledo, between local interest, rocket diehards, and travelling michigan fans it would be a full house and great atmosphere.
why is youngstown st playing in stillwater, OK when Toledo and Cincinnati are right there? why are none of these 3 ohio teams playing each other?
first round NIT games are sometimes played during spring break week without students in the crowd.
below are mid majors and others who got home games
Liberty 26-8 (tied for league, lost in tourney champ, overall lighter schedule than UT)
Cincinnati 21-12 (and didn't beat anyone very good)
New Mexico 21-12 (9-11 in MWC)
UAB 25-9
Washington St 17-16
N Texas 26-7 and deserving
*Sam Houston 25-7, had some good wins, gets the higher seed but because of scheduling logistics it appears Santa Clara 23-9 hosts
toledo-michigan winner plays the yale-vandy winner in a pretty loaded quad of the bracket.