NIT Bracketology: So, Maryland is on the NIT Bubble
by Ben Broman on Mar 1, 2012 12:02 PM EST
in Basketball
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I remember everyone hated the discussion last year about whether or not Maryland was on the NIT bubble, or whether such a thing even existed. Of course, then Maryland missed the NIT. So it might actually have some merit.
I know, it's a sad hollow life when you're sitting around wondering if your team can sneak into the back of the NIT. But remember, keep perspective: Maryland missed the NIT last year and arguably got worse from a personnel standpoint, so making the NIT this year would be progress of a sort. More importantly, though, this team needs more games against decent competition. They're still very young, and every minute of high-level competition should make them better. Running into NCAAT-bound brick walls like Virginia and North Carolina are probably helping, too, but we can't see that progress. Getting more games against teams like N.C. State, Oregon, Dayton, and Illinois will not only make the Terrapins a better team, it'll be easier for us to assess where they stand heading into next year.
So we turn to what must be one of life's most depressing trades: NIT bracketology. Only three sites are doing it (yet), though to be honest I'm surprised we could find even those three (one of them, admittedly, is a mindless robotic algorithm). The first, the Bracket Project (of Bracket Matrix fame), doesn't have Maryland in the field. The second, NITology, has the Terrapins sneaking in as an 8 seed, matching up with Oregon in the first round for an epic Nike-Under Armour battle royale. And lastly, that mindless robotic algorithm is StatSheet, which projects Maryland as an NIT 5 seed and comfortably in. All three of the projections were pre-UNC, but given that the game ended up right at the line I don't think it would influence it one way or the other.
The consensus: Maryland is very bubbly.
Anyway, two caveats here. The first: the NIT gives any team who won its regular season conference championship but didn't get into the NCAA Tournament (i.e., mid-/low-majors who lost the auto-bid in the conference tournament) an auto-bid, so no one knows exactly how many at-larges will be available. If there are a fair number of upsets, teams will get knocked off the bubble. Root for the favorites, scrappy underdogs be damned.
The second: still a long way to go, obviously. Maryland clearly doesn't have any hope at making the NCAA Tournament unless they beat Virginia and then rattle off at least three wins in the ACC Tournament (or, uh, win four in the ACC Tournament) but the season is far from over. As with anything else, this will shift a lot over the next few weeks. A win over UVA and/or a victory or two in the ACC Tournament would likely knock them into the NIT; losing out would sink their hopes at even that.
Rest assured, though, under no circumstances will I stoop to CBI-ology. (C-biology?) You have my word.
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You're right
As tough as it is to swallow, NIT is progress after last year. Losing Hauk, Jordan, 3 seniors, Gary — and then Pe — and improving?? Out of context, you have to say that’s a good trend.
… I’ll take it. Remember, UNC was an NIT team the year after they won a national title. It is purgatory, sure, but it’s not humiliating like missing it altogether (like last year) is.
On the bright side the CBI probably has us as a #1 seed
something is better than nothing in the “After Gary” life.
Any game is a good game
Obviously I think playing in the NIT would be better for the Terrapins in terms of the competition they would face, but I think any and all game experience will only benefit the Terps, be it the NIT or the CBI. The players need some confidence as well as good competition. Looking back at the CBI from 2009-2010, the tournament champion was VCU, a team that appeared in the NCAA final four the next season. There is talent in the CBI, at least potential. I think playing in either tournament will benefit the Terps. Plus I want a championship, and playing in the CBI may be an easier way to get that. Either way I think the Terps improved this year.
The N.I.T.
would provide a definite confidence boost for next season going foward!
Longtime Georgetown sports-communication director Bill Shapland may have come up with the best way to describe how the two Thompsons differ: "The father is like a laser beam, extremely focused. The son is like a lighthouse. He sees everything."
*forward*
Longtime Georgetown sports-communication director Bill Shapland may have come up with the best way to describe how the two Thompsons differ: "The father is like a laser beam, extremely focused. The son is like a lighthouse. He sees everything."
We Need the Work
Good article, Ben.
And nice job by Turge to get these many wins so far. Terps not only have little depth and no true point guard, but several guys are young and inexperienced. All of these guys need the work: Faust (he is just now starting to “finish” his close-in shots), Len, Padge (you can see Turge trying to convince Padge that Padge is better than he thinks he is), Pankey, and Parker. It will help all of these guys next year if the Terps can get into the NIT.
Next year, the Terps shoot for NCAA, and can be insulted or whatever if they miss and settle for the NIT. But this year, the NIT would actually be a very nice accomplishment and helpful to Terp development.
NIT would be great for this young team.
Turge himself only thought we would eke out 9 wins this year.
Here’s a bit of silver lining…if we make the NIT, it means we were on the “last 32 out” NCAAT bubble.
Baby steps, people.
by terpsfan06 on Mar 1, 2012 12:49 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Also
part of the reason why we got left out of the NIT last year is because the ACC got no one in the tournament. We need teams like Miami and NC State to get in so maybe us and Clemson are the next in line for an NIT bid.
As a fan of an elite program on it's way back up
I dont care about the NIT
Ugh....
sad day in Terpsville when this is the discussion were having….come on 2013!
Thank god Weis and Mosely are leaving….I love Mosely as a person, but as a player…..I’m glad I’m not going to have to watch him play anymore.
If Mosley had the same production but on a good team, we'd all love him.
Everyone loved Byron Mouton..
Mosley was the consummate glue guy.
People are just disappointed that he never turned into the prolific scorer that they hoped for. There seems to be very little appreciation for the fact that he spent four years as a legitimate lock down defender.
True....
but….top 10 SG out of high school, Gatorade State player of the year in MD, while beating out Syracuse (who wanted him pretty badly)…..I expected more then a “Byron Mouton” type of player from this guy……I guess I just have to high of expectations sometimes.
I understand *why* people were disappointed with him.
But if you didn’t know anything about him before he stepped foot on the court at Comcast, I don’t think everyone would be so critical.
Becoming a father may have changed his priorities a bit
That was last year, right (a down year). This year, he’s adjusted and his numbers are up.
?
Pretty sure he’s had a kid since he got here
Lets gooo Maryland
by Terrapin13 on Mar 2, 2012 11:18 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I thought it was...
between his soph and junior year. I guess we can figure it out during the ceremony Sunday.
Ben how do you bring yourself to write this stuff
Man I would be so depressed I would have never been able to finish it. Bravo for keeping us abreast on all things Terps.
As for the meme’s and gifs keep it up I need something to make me smile today,
The women are a surprising bonus
Blogging groupies are everywhere.
by Ben Broman on Mar 1, 2012 4:23 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Oh, and speaking of gifs
Apropos of nothing, but keep this in your back pocket:
by Ben Broman on Mar 1, 2012 4:24 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
The NIT is not going to matter
after the TERPS win the ACC Tourny!!!! Gotta have faith fellas.
by Terpnation on Mar 1, 2012 1:54 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I’m with you. We will win the tournament. Fear the turtle.
by grasshugger7 on Mar 1, 2012 2:37 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
we're on the
I Know They Hear Us Coming Bubble. Beat UVa, and we’ll play somewhere. Don’t, and 1 tourney win may not even do it with a 6-10 ACC record. I say let some other school with a better conference record out of a mid major get the nod. It’s good for their school, and we can start scheming and preparing for the March 16-22 contact period to get ready for an April or May signee to be added!
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
I'm pretty sure that "NIT Bracketology" are the most depressing two words in history
Although, strictly speaking, it’s an abbreviation and a neologism. But who’s counting.
by Jeff.P on Mar 1, 2012 2:20 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
idk about y'all
But if we play and beat Oregon in the NIT I’ll call this season a win. Eff Nike
by terps3030 on Mar 1, 2012 2:25 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions 1 recs
Expectations, people
Before this season started, we all would have been very happy with a NIT bid. But that’s what I’ve always loved about the Terps: somehow they always shows those “flashes of brilliance” that get us believing year after year that they can play with anyone. However, (and except for a glorious 5 year period in the early 2000s) they also have those “duds” that get us stammering “W-T-F?”
I’ll live with a NIT bid. Something to build on next year. And it will either take a “W” against UVA + 1 ACC Tourney win (most likely 1st Round Opponent: VT), or 2 "W"s in the ACCT if we lose to the yahoos this weekend. (Hoping for a Duke win against UNC, I’d rather face them in the secound round of the ACCT as I think they are much more “beatable”)
It doesn't even matter
We are going to go ’04 on the ACC tourney this year. Guaranteed
I can't sweat the NIT
I frankly don’t really care if we get in or not. I just don’t.
Maybe Turge will get tossed in the NIT
and the ACCT, it would be so worth it.
Terps have gone from NCAA mainstay to NCAA bubble to NIT hopeful
It is definitely depressing on March 1st to be debating as to whether the Terps will get an NIT bid. These last 2 seasons will mark the worst 2 run for Terp basketball in almost 2 decades.
Can’t help but miss the days wherethe Terps’ biggest worry was about where they would be seeded in the NCAA tourney and what region they would be shipped to.
Shows just how far this program has fallen, hopefully things are on the way back up…
Quotes from the overrated Rajon Rondo -
I feel I’m the best at what I do, and that’s how I play it,"
"I’m the best, hands down. There’s no speculation. Not top three or top five, I’m the best."
"I’m not looking to be the best one year or to have people think you’re the best one year,’’ Rondo continued. "You’ve got to prove it every night. Every night somebody’s going to be gunning for that spot.’’
That awkward moment
When I was about to make a fanpost about NIT bracketology and our resume compared to other NIT teams when you posted this story. You one upped me, Ben! (as you do for everyone on here)
by turtlepower on Mar 1, 2012 5:39 PM EST via mobile reply actions
The difference between this team and the 04 team is
the 04 team was loaded with talented underachievers and this team is well…. ehhh… we will not win the acc tournament. I don’t know why so many are predicting we will beat uva either. I hope we do, i’m not trying to be pessimistic either. Its just that as hard as it is to admit, uva is much much better than us.
Only reason
I feel good about our chances is that we are MUCH better at home. Our record and the eye test shows that.
by turtlepower on Mar 1, 2012 5:57 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
yeah, i'm keeping the faith and won't give up.
I never leave or turn off a game early. I just think if i was a betting man in this game i’d bet on uva.
In terms of straight up or spread?
I know what you mean, but I’m gonna pick nits anyway. I bet the spread will be much higher than you would think, and I would imagine that we have covered the spread at home quite often. I have nothing to base that off of, but every home game has been a win or a fairly close loss (except for Duke, which was much closer than the final score indicated).
Would be nice to make NIT, but still a long shot
UVA would be a must win as well as a victory in the First Round of the ACCT to even get back into the discussion.
You could tell by the body language last night that this team has had enough of this season. Having to play with 8 healthy scholarship players has finally taken its toll.
Just think… by the end of the first weekend of the NCAA tourney, 3/4 of the field has already been eliminated. We won’t be alone watching the games on TV.
Let’s get ready for November 9 when we have a “coming out” party against Kentucky!!
I'd take a CBI invite if we didn't make the NIT
I like this team; I want to see them keep playing.
Whose job am I supposed to call for now?
Most of the squad has never been to the post-season
Yeah, the N.I.T is not even like kissing your sister. But two thirds of the scholarship players on the team have never been to a post-season tournament. If they do get a bid and win a couple of games, the experience will be good for them. It will certainly be much more than I expected at the beginning of the year.
I asked this on the UNC post, but:
CBI or CIT?
Would Turgeon accept a bid to the third-tier tourneys? Last year, Gary dismissed the CBI…
UVA is a must win to get into the NIT
Sad that our discussions are on whether we’ll make the NIT tourney, but I think it’s important to play in the postseason. The more games our team plays, the more everyone will learn.
UVA lost to FSU in a game they gave away, so beating us is a high priority for them. I sure would like to ruin their party. I certainly hope our fans turn out for the game in hoards. Remember, the Yahoos got JA for next year. Go Terps !!
The Beast
I see Clint is rooting for the Terps. That’s not Dirty Harry. That looks like Clint when he only smoked four packs of Camels a day. Fistful of Dollars maybe. Anywho I’d like to see the boys play the Illini again. Bruce Weber is supposed to be on his way out so while I don’t wish him ill I’d like to see a win against any Big 10 team. Dreaming of Mr. Jordan being on the team. Now that would have made the Tourney run at least. But them’s the breaks. Another vote for Cleare. Twenty pounds of beef in the weight room for Len. Put five pound ankle weights on Stoglin, Pankey and Padget for the entire off season like they’re on house arrest. Two hours with the weights. Half hour with the heavy bag. Than some bball until your head is up and over the rim. Don’t need to stuff when you can jam. Turg is the man who will bring this game back to CP. You’ll see.
NiT makes us stronger
win 3 games. that’s tournament play. and experience. i’ll take it.
It's a young team
…and an extra few games wouldn’t hurt. Be patient while Turgeon builds the type of program he wants.
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