Win the NIT or lose NCAA?

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Which would you prefer if you were a college basketball player:  get invited to the big dance as a 15 or 16 seed and lose in round one  OR not get invited to to the big tourney and instead go to the NIT and win it or at least make it to the final four?

Ya gotta think the teams just on the cusp of making or missing a 15/16 seed are approximately at the same caliber as the top teams in the NIT. 

Me - I would rather go to the NIT and have a real chance at winning some hardware than be a sacrificial lamb in a blowout loss on national TV. 

What says you?

[Phishfan]

The teams who win the NIT would usually be higher than a 15/16 seed. Thety are usually teams from better conferences who got shut out of the big dance by automatic qualifiers from other conferences. So based off that, I'd rather go to the dance.

[Sunstroke]

The problem with this scenario is: How do you "know" that you're going to lose in the first round of the NCAA tourney?  I'd rather go to the NCAA tournament and be the overwhelming underdog, rather than go to the NIT, where no one watches or gives a shit about the results. I'll take a 1% chance of being that Florida Gulf Coast-type of Cinderella instead...

[masterfins]

I seem to recall this happening to Syracuse back in the 80's, should have made the 64, but got bumped to the NIT.  I think they lost the final game of the NIT Championship, but I remember a lot of news about it.

[masterfins]

If your in a 2nd tier D1 school then I'd say win the NIT, if your a major you want to be in the NCAA no matter what your odds.

[dolphins4life]

I'd go to the dance.  Try to go for the historic upset we root for every year.

[Phishfan]

I seem to recall this happening to Syracuse back in the 80's, should have made the 64, but got bumped to the NIT.  I think they lost the final game of the NIT Championship, but I remember a lot of news about it.

WVU was kept out of the 2007 NCAA tourney and won the NIT.

[Dave Gray]

NCAA, no question.

[Spider-Dan]

My thought on it is:

- If you are a school at a level where winning the NIT would be considered a big deal, simply making the NCAA would be an even bigger deal
- If you are a school at a level where losing in the first round of the NCAA is not something to be proud of, playing in the NIT would almost be something to be ashamed of

[Dave Gray]

My thought on it is:

- If you are a school at a level where winning the NIT would be considered a big deal, simply making the NCAA would be an even bigger deal
- If you are a school at a level where losing in the first round of the NCAA is not something to be proud of, playing in the NIT would almost be something to be ashamed of

Perfect.

[ArtieChokePhin]

The problem with this scenario is: How do you "know" that you're going to lose in the first round of the NCAA tourney?  I'd rather go to the NCAA tournament and be the overwhelming underdog, rather than go to the NIT, where no one watches or gives a shit about the results. I'll take a 1% chance of being that Florida Gulf Coast-type of Cinderella instead...

This right here.  Can anyone name the last five NIT champs without looking at Google?

I'm waiting.....

[Phishfan]

Wow, an eight year thread dig up. That has to be a record.

[Dave Gray]

I thought this was a new thread and was reading with much interest, carefully crafting my opinion for a reply.  Then I saw that I already had an opinion and was surprised.

[Phishfan]

I thought this was a new thread and was reading with much interest, carefully crafting my opinion for a reply.  Then I saw that I already had an opinion and was surprised.

Me too. It didn't go for long since I was the first reply. I stand firm with it still.

[Spider-Dan]

It would be pretty hilarious if Duke played in the NIT this year.