It’s finally here, the big day we have all been waiting for. That’s right, this is Tuesday, the day just preceding the evening on which Mississippi State competes in the National Invitational Tournament semifinals. Or as basketball aficionados often refer to it, “The Other Final Four.” And although we weren’t strong enough to make it into the NCAA tournament (a.k.a. “The Big Dance”), I just want to express how very moderately excited I am about this. It absolutely blows my mind how relatively cool an accomplishment this is, playing in Madison Square Garden for the national consolation championship. It would mean somewhat of a lot to me if we were able to win the next two games and cut down the nets in New York. We could practice with those extra nets, and that might even make the difference between an NCAA and an NIT berth next year.
As Charles Rhodes was quoted in last Friday’s Reflector, we are among the final eight teams to be playing at this point in the season. Now I’m just as proud as Charles is, but that seems like an understatement. Since we’re comparing the NIT and NCAA Division I tournaments, why stop there? Barton College just won the NCAA Division II title on Saturday, so they were still playing when Rhodes commented.
That’s a pertinent fact, considering that all levels of basketball are inherently equal. Furthermore, I guarantee that there are hundreds of pickup games going on at this very instant across the country. As you’re reading this, I might even be over at the Joe Frank Sanderson Center representing my recently assembled squad (after we shoot threes to select captains, then pick sides) among the nation’s elite.
I know it’s clich to state that the winner of the NIT is the 66th best team in the country, behind the 65 that made the NCAA tourney. As everyone knows, that approximation is far from the actual truth. It’s silly to overlook the fact that the champions of all Division I conference tournaments receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Of course, this results in the automatic entry of a lot of weak teams from weak conferences.
Because of this, respectable teams such as ours get left out. Taking this into consideration, 66th is hardly a reasonable acknowledgement of our talent. Based on my own exact scientific estimations, I would place us around 60th nationally. That is, if we win the next couple games.
OK, maybe I’m being a little bit caustic here. Despite all of this, I am pulling for our guys tonight, and I would be proud of a win. I just don’t understand the need for all the hysteria behind our team playing for a title that doesn’t matter. In my opinion, that’s about as exciting as a track meet.