NIT Championship or PIG loser

[GoMuskies]

Beat IU in the NIT Championship or lose to Belmont in the PIG......

Well, Belmont is a lot better than IU, so I'd rather our guys have had the shot at Belmont.

[muethibp]

You're overthinking this dramatically, OP.

Winning is better than losing.

Continuing to play is better than being done.

Going to MSG again and lifting a trophy is better than a bus to Dayton and a sad ride home.

Think these people would rather have flown to Dayton and gone home as losers?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBVcATl5D88

[GetUp5]

Lose in the play in game. 1,000,000%.

[muethibp]

You understand the question assumes you've lost the play-in game. This isn't some scenario where you make the play-in game and then see what happens. You went to Dayton and lost to a really bad team. That's what happened. You're out before the tournament even really starts. People prefer this to playing and winning five games?

[GetUp5]

You're overthinking this dramatically, OP.

Winning is better than losing.

Continuing to play is better than being done.

Going to MSG again and lifting a trophy is better than a bus to Dayton and a sad ride home.

Think these people would rather have flown to Dayton and gone home as losers?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBVcATl5D88

That's Penn State. The basketball program with 1 NCAA appearance between 2002-now (KenPom only goes back to 2002 and I'm too lazy to look anywhere else). I'd assume Xavier holds themselves to a higher standard than Penn State.

There's definitely an argument that, say, UNC Greensboro would rather win the NIT than lose in the play in game.. But I really think any school that has legitimate yearly Final Four expectations (which should be almost everyone in the Power 6) would rather have had the chance to play in the big dance.

[GoMuskies]

The excitement in that building was palpable!

Near the end: "We'll see what these two programs become next year..." Shit. They were shit this year.

[muethibp]

That's Penn State. The basketball program with 1 NCAA appearance between 2002-now (KenPom only goes back to 2002 and I'm too lazy to look anywhere else). I'd assume Xavier holds themselves to a higher standard than Penn State.

There's definitely an argument that, say, UNC Greensboro would rather win the NIT than lose in the play in game.. But I really think any school that has legitimate yearly Final Four expectations (which should be almost everyone in the Power 6) would rather have had the chance to play in the big dance.

That argument makes literally no sense. You have it exactly backwards. If PSU has made one NCAA in 17 years, then they'd presumably trade anything for the NCAA trip. And teams that are used to being in the NCAA, as Xavier thankfully is, should be willing to set aside a meaningless, losing, forgetful trip to Dayton for the unusual experience of winning the NIT title.

[chico]

I'd rather see my name called Selection Sunday than win some consolation prize. There's a reason the NIT is referred to as "Not In Tournament." Better to have played in the NCAA and lost than never to have played in the NCAA at all. Talk about meaningless.

I wonder what Hankins, Welage or Castlin would rather do? I'm sure their thinking was they were coming for a chance to win the NIT instead of the chance to say you made the NCAA tournament.

[GoMuskies]

Having our fans twist themselves in knots to act like they're happy Xavier is in the NIT as opposed to the NCAA Tournament is worse than Xavier being in the NIT and not the NCAA Tournament.

[GetUp5]

That argument makes literally no sense. You have it exactly backwards. If PSU has made one NCAA in 17 years, then they'd presumably trade anything for the NCAA trip. And teams that are used to being in the NCAA, as Xavier thankfully is, should be willing to set aside a meaningless, losing, forgetful trip to Dayton for the unusual experience of winning the NIT title.

This is ridiculous.

The NIT sucks. Period.

What "makes literally no sense" is trying to act like you'd rather win the NIT than lose in the NCAA Tournament.