Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Bleacher Fan.
As we all know, the first round of the NCAA tournament begins tomorrow and employees all across the country will be slacking off at work tomorrow afternoon so they can follow their brackets! There is a good chance I will be “casually” following some of the early games if it is a slow day at work. However, did you also know that last night was the beginning of the NIT tournament? If you didn’t, you missed a very entertaining North Carolina-William & Mary game in which the Tar Heels won while playing at their old gym. They also won despite the fact that William & Mary hit 16 three pointers!!
Obviously, the NCAA tournament is the place every team wants to be at the end of the season. A rigorous season is endured in hopes of getting one of the 65 slots in the NCAA Tournament. You get to play on national TV, which is quite a thrill for some of the kids who play for the automatic qualifiers who do not really get to experience that during the regular season.
While that is true, the NIT also offers a chance for teams like Mississippi State and Virginia Tech – teams that felt they were wronged by not being selected for the Big Dance – to continue playing. The field of 32 is eventually trimmed down to one, with the championship being played at one of the most famous arenas ever, Madison Square Garden. Many teams also use the NIT as a springboard for the following season. A quick look at the results of the past ten seasons and you will see several examples of this. Memphis parlayed three deep runs in the NIT, including an NIT championship in 2002, into a string of strong finishes in the NCAA Tournament. Just last season Baylor and Notre Dame made it to the semifinals of the NIT. Look where they reside this year. Baylor is currently a three seed in the tournament, while Notre Dame is a six seed and is probably a sleeper pick among many of you.
Today’s debate revolves around one central question:
Is it better to win a couple of games in the NIT, or is it better to be a one and done in the NCAA Tournament?
Bleacher Fan will argue that it’s better to win a couple of games in the NIT in the hopes of building continuity for next season while serving as some type of reward for the season just completed. Babe Ruthless will argue that it is much better to make the NCAA Tournament, even if you make a quick exit.
The floor is yours. Let’s see what you got!
