Other Tournaments

[The Historian]

But the program IS begging, if you understand what I mean.

Back in 1986 a 16-13 Tech got an NIT bid. Was that based on what the '86 team had done? Nope! It was born of the success the program was riding on. We were a known commodity and had the reputation of being a legit program. Yes, the '86 team did play, as I recall, a representative schedule vs. some toughies. But 16-13 was not good enough, on its own merits, to get us in. "Rep" got us in. And then we made the most of it by going 4-1 and reaching MSG, the Final Four.

So now, in 2022, Tech hoops is considered to be mediocre, a real Blah! No one is gonna do us any favors, we have to go out and seize it. Of course, it won't help to enter a pay-to-play and then lose early, especially be one and done. Maybe that's the real issue. No one in charge at Tech has any confidence in Konkol's bunch.

That was 36 years ago when a group of a dozen friends in New York owned and ran the tournament. We got a bid in 86. The Cajuns got a bid in 84 with a similar record.

That wouldn't happen today. We were the 3rd place team in the NIT last year, but our NET ranking is around 100. The NCAA owns and runs it now. We aren't getting in with that type of resume.

[NTXDawg]

That was 36 years ago when a group of a dozen friends in New York owned and ran the tournament. We got a bid in 86. The Cajuns got a bid in 84 with a similar record.

That wouldn't happen today. We were the 3rd place team in the NIT last year, but our NET ranking is around 100. The NCAA owns and runs it now. We aren't getting in with that type of resume.

There are also about 100 additional schools competing for the same number of spots. Having said that, it’s downright baffling how you go 31 years without making the dance. Especially with the number of 20 win seasons we have. Blind luck should have us in now and again. We got a curse or something.

[Dwayne From Minden]

Making the tournament is the hardest thing to do in collegiate sports -

Harder than baseball-

3x harder than being bowl eligible

I’ve been at every conference finals loss since we won in 1991 except the loss in the WAC finals

And 10 additional non-final losses

Why? Because we traditionally have an upper 3rd program - not upper half, not lower 3rd - out of the 330+ schools

One day it will happen and I plan to be there

[FriscoDawg]

Making the tournament is the hardest thing to do in collegiate sports -

Harder than baseball-

3x harder than being bowl eligible

I’ve been at every conference finals loss since we won in 1991 except the loss in the WAC finals

And 10 additional non-final losses

Why? Because we traditionally have an upper 3rd program - not upper half, not lower 3rd - out of the 330+ schools

One day it will happen and I plan to be there

358 schools including transitionals in 2021-2022.

Using KenPom because it is easy to find historical rankings, Tech hasn't been below #154 in the last ten seasons with a 10-year average ranking of 98.6. Tech was ranked between 37 and 98 in seven seasons and was between 141 and 154 in the other three.

[Dawg Fan]

I created a Yahoo Tournament Pick'em group for Louisiana Tech fans if anyone is interested in joining. You can submit up to five brackets. https://tournament.fantasysports.yah...78e0ae7e109b9b

[Russdawg]

That was 36 years ago when a group of a dozen friends in New York owned and ran the tournament. We got a bid in 86. The Cajuns got a bid in 84 with a similar record.

That wouldn't happen today. We were the 3rd place team in the NIT last year, but our NET ranking is around 100. The NCAA owns and runs it now. We aren't getting in with that type of resume.

Any theories on why UTEP made the NIT this year with a 164 NET rating while Tech (98 NET) or Middle Tenn (104 NET rating) did not?

[dawg80]

Any theories on why UTEP made the NIT this year with a 164 NET rating while Tech (98 NET) or Middle Tenn (104 NET rating) did not?

UTEP did not make the NIT. They are in one of those pay-to-play tourneys.

[Russdawg]

UTEP did not make the NIT. They are in one of those pay-to-play tourneys.

Oops

[FriscoDawg]

North Texas is the only C-USA team in the NIT as a #2 seed. That means the Mean Green should have been in the top 8 out for the NCAAs.

Their early home loss to Buffalo and the late loss at UTEP killed the North Texas case for an NCAA at-large bid. And scoring only 36 in the semifinal game wasn't a good look either. Changing the Buffalo and UTEP losses to wins would move the North Texas RPI from 36 to around 20. And their NET would be much higher than 47, probably in at least the mid 30s.

[Dwayne From Minden]

From what I can tell we are not begging -

From the get go it was going to be NIT or nothing if we lost in the finals

Konkol reiterated this fact today in his season ending press conference -

He also alluded to the fact they were looking at a foreign trip in late summer for team growth and bonding with all the young faces -

He also stated that Jr was exploring his NBA options -

[Dawg Fan]

Konkol reiterated this fact today in his season ending press conference -

He also alluded to the fact they were looking at a foreign trip in late summer for team growth and bonding with all the young faces -

He also stated that Jr was exploring his NBA options -

Other Tech players in recent history have explored NBA options and then returned to play another year in college. It will be interesting to see if the NBA evaluation process shows Junior is ready for the NBA or if he would benefit from another year in college. I have wondered what type of NIL agreements Junior has now. The NIL is not something aspiring NBA underclassman had to take into consideration in the past.

[faninmonroe]

“He also stated that Jr was exploring his NBA options”

That will be a quick exploration. He is a talented young man but he is in no way ready to make an early leap to the NBA. Probably one more year in D1….spend this summer in as many tournaments as possible….then start the grind with a real NBA trainer.

He has probably missed the boat with agent / preparation work for this summer’s draft.

[FriscoDawg]

“He also stated that Jr was exploring his NBA options”

That will be a quick exploration. He is a talented young man but he is in no way ready to make an early leap to the NBA. Probably one more year in D1….spend this summer in as many tournaments as possible….then start the grind with a real NBA trainer.

He has probably missed the boat with agent / preparation work for this summer’s draft.

Junior plateaued the last half of this season. And I don't think one year will get him ready. Probably needs two more. Needs to get rid of 10-15 pounds, and he seriously needs to work on his mid-range and beyond shooting.

[FriscoDawg]

North Texas is sleepwalking in Denton.

Texas State up 42-35 with 12:27 left.
Perry hasn't scored yet.

[dawg80]

42-42 UNT, Perry still clanking shots off the iron, is 0-fer

Taco Bell on the bench with 4 fouls