Will State spring for a home game if we're in the NIT?

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Jason Svoboda

Jason Svoboda

The Bird Level
Administrator
Was talking with someone tonight and this was an interesting talking point. If the Sycamores don't make the NCAA tournament, they're most likely a lock for the NIT considering we were in it last year with a lesser record. Additionally, we'd likely be considered the higher seed this go round so will Prettyman take the game or defer? We were a six seed last year. I know in the past the CIT happened during the same week as Indiana State's spring break but it looks like the first round games for the NIT happen the week following Spring Break. Thoughts?
 

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I think it depends on if you know who your opponent is before "buying" a game. For example, if you know it will be a team that will draw well then I think that there is a much better chance. Not to overuse references to IU, but if you have a chance to get them in the Hulman Center then I think they jump all over it.

I would like for them to host a game regardless of the opponent, but I think there are obviously matchups that could be much better than others from a money standpoint.
 
Yeah, I think it's a question of should they, does it make sense? What does it cost to host an NIT game vs a CBI, CIT? Guessing it's a big difference, but I don't know. ??? I don't doubt they'd love to and I think it could make a big difference in getting us past that first round. Another road trip to some place like Iowa wouldn't be ideal. Not unless the other program sees the NIT as a disappointment and their fans come out in smaller numbers. Iowa has been on the upswing under McCaffery so they provided a more raucous crowd last year.

I hate to get into the whole Indiana discussion, but yes, they would probably draw more fans, and I'm talking fringe ISU fans sadly enough. People who'd cheer for us, but only come if it's an IU, no matter how underwhelming. That's something to consider, but would IU even be willing to come to TH in such a case? Could they opt out, thumb their noses at us like Notre Dame did with football bowl games for many years? I'd like to think we'd get a solid crowd no matter the opponent if it's a home game for the NIT (at least 8,000). The NIT is no joke. Would 8,000 be enough to make it worthwhile to the university? Not so much from a breaking even standpoint, but a selling the program and building our fan base perspective?

Sorry for mostly asking questions, but it's all worth considering. If the money is there and we don't have to dig too deep to pull it off financially, then yes, absolutely we should host a game.
 
I hate to say it but let's be realistic here folks, I've been to the last 2-3 of these games we have played at home and not only did the team usually play without ANY intensity whatsoever, NOBODY came to them. The season tickets holders don't come so you are dropping 3-5,000 sure seats and the students usually are on break, so the NET result is, there are 2-3,000 there and we get our ass kicked by Robert Morris or someone like that. Yes a game with IU would be a draw more for sure, but if it comes to a Big 10 team or a MVC game hosting the game, it goes to Bloomington, where it will draw some respectable numbers. I really think the team would do better if we had to drive to Cincy for a Xavier game as an example. It's a fun town to travel to, and we don't have to put up with a loss because the team is pissed they didn't make the big dance.

Why pay the money to be embarrassed by no one showing up and chances are-- we lose. No big decision in my mind. Go on the road, like we did at Iowa (which I attended) and take our chances with an upset. Makes sense to me.
 
Bally #47 said:
I hate to say it but let's be realistic here folks, I've been to the last 2-3 of these games we have played at home and not only did the team usually play without ANY intensity whatsoever, NOBODY came to them. The season tickets holders don't come so you are dropping 3-5,000 sure seats and the students usually are on break, so the NET result is, there are 2-3,000 there and we get our ass kicked by Robert Morris or someone like that. Yes a game with IU would be a draw more for sure, but if it comes to a Big 10 team or a MVC game hosting the game, it goes to Bloomington, where it will draw some respectable numbers. I really think the team would do better if we had to drive to Cincy for a Xavier game as an example. It's a fun town to travel to, and we don't have to put up with a loss because the team is pissed they didn't make the big dance.

Why pay the money to be embarrassed by no one showing up and chances are-- we lose. No big decision in my mind. Go on the road, like we did at Iowa (which I attended) and take our chances with an upset. Makes sense to me.
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I think the "and chances are we lose" is bull shit and pretty typical Indiana State fan speak...

Do I think we should defer, yeah I think we should defer. I don't think anyone in this town considers making the NIT a success especially with a senior lead team. No, I don't think people will come out in droves for it.

But if the chances are that we are going to lose and look stupid in the process maybe they should just decline the bid all together. Maybe we are asking the wrong questions? Not personally of that opinion of course.
 
SycfromBirth said:
I think it depends on if you know who your opponent is before "buying" a game. For example, if you know it will be a team that will draw well then I think that there is a much better chance. Not to overuse references to IU, but if you have a chance to get them in the Hulman Center then I think they jump all over it.

I would like for them to host a game regardless of the opponent, but I think there are obviously matchups that could be much better than others from a money standpoint.
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I agree with the IU game, "IF" the NCAA said hey, we'll send IU to TH if you want to host, then yeah, ISU should host, That would be a big draw of course and we'd sell a lot of tickets
 

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ISUCC said:
I agree with the IU game, "IF" the NCAA said hey, we'll send IU to TH if you want to host, then yeah, ISU should host, That would be a big draw of course and we'd sell a lot of tickets
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And when hell freezes over IU will come to Terre Haute for an N.I.T. game...............get real ! If IU was 10-20 and the last seed in the N.I.T. they would still play at home. Dream, dream on..........and my answer (and as on the millionaire game show "yes that's my final answer") win our way to the Big Dance or go home because as mentioned in some earlier posts, nobody gives a damn & won't attend and the players are done too based on previous post-season tourney experiences.
 
I could be very wrong but it does not make any sense for the NIT to allow a team to defer a home game after the opponent is already known. If you defer a known opponent then you are essentially picking somebody else. It does make sense that you could pick to travel or host. But you shouldn't get to pick a road game vs team A or home game vs team B.
 
dino said:
I could be very wrong but it does not make any sense for the NIT to allow a team to defer a home game after the opponent is already known. If you defer a known opponent then you are essentially picking somebody else. It does make sense that you could pick to travel or host. But you shouldn't get to pick a road game vs team A or home game vs team B.
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I agree; I don't think that's how it works. The teams are seeded with the higher seeded teams getting the option to host the game or defer. If we were the higher ranked team than IU or anyone else, we'd have the option. I believe you have to accept the invitation to the NIT before they choose the matchups. Maybe I'm wrong, but any other way doesn't make sense.

In terms of my opinion, I think we accept any bid to any postseason tournament regardless. Ask Greg Marshall how important their run to the NIT championship was a few years ago. Any time you get the opportunity to play more games and hold more practices, you take it. Don't you think guys like T.J. Bell, Brenton Scott, Etherington, etc. could use more practice time and development?
 
SycamoreStateofMind said:
I think the "and chances are we lose" is bull shit and pretty typical Indiana State fan speak...

Do I think we should defer, yeah I think we should defer. I don't think anyone in this town considers making the NIT a success especially with a senior lead team. No, I don't think people will come out in droves for it.

But if the chances are that we are going to lose and look stupid in the process maybe they should just decline the bid all together. Maybe we are asking the wrong questions? Not personally of that opinion of course.
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It may be bullshit, SSOM but these games mean NOTHING to the players over the years, except one year when they were really pissed we got snubbed in their opinion for the NCAA's. I've been to every one of them since we started playing in them. I am not declaring us losers, come on, now you know would not do that, but for whatever reason, they play flat (the worse being the Robert Morris game). I don't think we have ever gone over 3K in attendance. If that offends you, then talk to the players, not to me~
 
Nice to see all the confidence. Some of the teams that have done well in the NIT in recent years have gone on to great success, using it as a springboard. Wichita State winning it in 2011 for example, then making the Final Four last year and going undefeated this season. Why can't we have a similar run in the NIT if we're really that good? Why wouldn't that be exciting? But no, fans don't care about the NIT, Terre Haute doesn't care about the NIT, players don't care. Maybe we should win a post-season tournament game for a change before we dismiss it.
 

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bent20 said:
Nice to see all the confidence. Some of the teams that have done well in the NIT in recent years have gone on to great success, using it as a springboard. Wichita State winning it in 2011 for example, then making the Final Four last year and going undefeated this season. Why can't we have a similar run in the NIT if we're really that good? Why wouldn't that be exciting? But no, fans don't care about the NIT, Terre Haute doesn't care about the NIT, players don't care. Maybe we should win a post-season tournament game for a change before we dismiss it.
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Thank you.
 
bent20 said:
Nice to see all the confidence. Some of the teams that have done well in the NIT in recent years have gone on to great success, using it as a springboard. Wichita State winning it in 2011 for example, then making the Final Four last year and going undefeated this season. Why can't we have a similar run in the NIT if we're really that good? Why wouldn't that be exciting? But no, fans don't care about the NIT, Terre Haute doesn't care about the NIT, players don't care. Maybe we should win a post-season tournament game for a change before we dismiss it.
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Maybe you haven't been paying attention... Every game we play right now is for a championship basically and people don't come, what makes you think they will come to an NIT game?!?

Take away the fact that Jake Odum lead his team to the Big Dance 3 years ago and people have been waiting for him to take us back since.

Had this been the first time we were in the running for a post season tourney other than the Big Dance then your stance would hold water. Since you make the same stance year after year - your spring boarding into an empty pool if you will. People aint going to get excited about that and you aint going to convince me (with games left to play) that is a an acceptable outcome!

The end
 
If we make the NIT we'll likely get a decent opponent, regardless of it it's IU, maybe another BIG 10 school. I would hope that would draw enough interest to get at least 8,000 there. Is that enough to make it worth while. I guess that's the question. I'd like to think so. Don't know how much hosting a game would cost, but if it doesn't put us in too big of a hole it could be great to build excitement. Maybe we get that big home win everyone has been waiting for for a few years now. But it starts with fans being excited and if people on this board can't get up for a home NIT game then, yes, we do have problems. Doing well in the NIT gets you national attention which could be a great boost for the fan base, the attention could get more students interested, could be great for recruiting, great for the city.
 
bent20 said:
If we make the NIT we'll likely get a decent opponent, regardless of it it's IU, maybe another BIG 10 school. I would hope that would draw enough interest to get at least 8,000 there. Is that enough to make it worth while. I guess that's the question. I'd like to think so. Don't know how much hosting a game would cost, but if it doesn't put us in too big of a hole it could be great to build excitement. Maybe we get that big home win everyone has been waiting for for a few years now. But it starts with fans being excited and if people on this board can't get up for a home NIT game then, yes, we do have problems. Doing well in the NIT gets you national attention which could be a great boost for the fan base, the attention could get more students interested, could be great for recruiting, great for the city.
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In the first place a post-season game is not "free admission" for the students like the regular season. They don't come often in large numbers when it is free. Why does anyone think they would pay to come watch a game? 8,000......you have to be kidding me? 8,000 would not show up for a game vs Duke if it was anything other than in the Big Dance. If a senior laden team doesn't win their way to the Big Dance, send them home to wonder what could have been, don't string it out for one more miserable game.
 

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Ok, so let me get this straight. For several years this board, we were lectured about how we shouldn't participate in any tourney other than the NCAA or the NIT. Now, are people seriously saying we should turn down an NIT bid? Turn down a freaking NIT home game? Have we gotten so good that the NIT is below us? Are you serious? That sure is what it seems like I'm reading.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding...it sounds like some fans are just done if we're not 33-1...weird...:sos:
 
ISU_TREE_FAN said:
And when hell freezes over IU will come to Terre Haute for an N.I.T. game...............get real ! If IU was 10-20 and the last seed in the N.I.T. they would still play at home. Dream, dream on..........and my answer (and as on the millionaire game show "yes that's my final answer") win our way to the Big Dance or go home because as mentioned in some earlier posts, nobody gives a damn & won't attend and the players are done too based on previous post-season tourney experiences.
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IU doesn't really have a choice. Odds are they'd be a lower seed in the NIT this year if they even get invited to it. They're so far down in the Big Ten they'd likely be a CBI team at this point, at best.
 
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