NCAA or bust: Michigan basketball team not interested in a College Basketball Invitational bid
As the Michigan basketball team enters the Big Ten tournament this week, the mission is simple: Reach the NCAA tournament or the Wolverines’ season is done.
Michigan coach John Beilein said Monday the Wolverines do not plan to look at the College Basketball Invitational.
“We do not have an interest in that tournament,” Beilein said. “We’re not interested in the CBI tournament this particular year.”
The 16-team CBI was created three years ago by the Gazelle Group to compete with the National Invitation Tournament. Tulsa won the first CBI in 2008 and Oregon State won last year.
After looking at it Beilein said he isn’t sure if Michigan would be eligible for the NIT. A .500 record is necessary for inclusion and the Wolverines have applied to play in it, but have an RPI of 132, according to CollegeRPI.com. When it comes to NIT selection, the Wolverines’ win over Division II Northern Michigan doesn’t count, so in the eyes of the various selection committees, they are 13-16 instead of 14-16.
“I don’t think we’ll be eligible,” Beilein said. “I think if you do the math, our Division II game does not count, you have to have a winning record, and, if I’m doing the math correctly, I don’t know if we can get there. I haven’t actually looked at it, but based on our RPI, we’ve applied for the NIT. But I don’t know if we could actually get there.”
Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.
Comments
willievrine
Wed, Mar 10, 2010 : 10:38 a.m.
Yes, Theo Im back from a long, self imposed hiatus. Im glad to see you and others holding down the fort in my absence. But I want you to know that I havent been resting on my laurels. Ive written a new book entitled, The Anatomy of a Troll, Ive been making the rounds on the talk show circuit and theres a movie deal in the works. I won the Pulitzer Prize for my expose on Trollville and a Grammy for Last Train To Trollville and Ive been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Fear not, my creative juices are just beginning to flow. I see the usual suspects are still around (redcedar1, NoBowl4Blue, etc). Hey, does MetricSU still haunt this blogoshere? So many Trolls, so little time.
leathercouch
Wed, Mar 10, 2010 : 4:56 a.m.
its been a tough year but i think that this team is poised to break out. sims will drop 32 on iowa and harris will get 15 with douglass finding his shot michigan wins game 1 74-51 i also really like the way morris is maturing he will have about 12 dimes vs iowa. go blue!
willievrine
Tue, Mar 9, 2010 : 11:57 a.m.
The CBI or the NIT - Beilien should be happy with whatever he can get! His squad is under-sized and out-manned. They live by the Three and die by the Three. Gibson should start at center and Sims at Forward. Harris should play the two guard spot and not small forward. There's no reason for Douglas and Novak to be in the game at the same time. Let them earn their minutes by improving their scorng consistency. One thing in Beilien's favor - he gets those guys to play their hearts out for him, but that only takes you so far. His lack of r2ecruiting big men speaks volumes.
aarox
Tue, Mar 9, 2010 : 12:46 a.m.
Beilein doesn't even know the NIT rules. You do not need a.500 record to get in. They changed that rule in 2006. Not that we will get in. But just one more sad statement about our program.
Engineer
Mon, Mar 8, 2010 : 9:36 p.m.
No need for the CBI this teams plays so well they do not need anymore practice. They are donating their practice time to the football team.
Jaxon5
Mon, Mar 8, 2010 : 7:12 p.m.
Since Theo212 and tater have not yet posted on this page, I will try to fill in on their behalf... UM has just begun to peak this season and will take the Big 10 tournament by storm! 4 straight victories will propel this talented, but unlucky team, to the top of the Big 10 and into the NCAA where they will be rightfully rewarded with a No. 1 seed. The rest will be history.
OSUbeBetter
Mon, Mar 8, 2010 : 5:23 p.m.
How about the MHSAA (Michigan high school athletic association)? Seems like a great fit to me.
Yelmonian
Mon, Mar 8, 2010 : 5 p.m.
Well... It took Beilein 3 years to figure out that Big Ten Basketball is physical. Why would you expect him to quickly figure out if he can get in the NIT?
Drew Montag
Mon, Mar 8, 2010 : 3:20 p.m.
It's not very complicated math: at 13-16, if UM wins 3 games and loses in the championship game, they will be 16-17, so they won't be eligible for the NIT. If they win all 4 games in the Big Ten Tournament, they will go to the NCAA Tournament. So, no NIT this year.