NIT/CBI Report, Day One
Akron, the biggest winner of the postseason thus far. (AP Photo)
If you're like me, and you consider "reckless insanity" the best approach to the three days between Selection Sunday and Bracket Due Date, you'll already have run 17 different statistical analyses on last night's NIT/CBI results, attempting to figure out what they mean for your NCAA bracket prospects.
All these home site games make things tricky, because almost any college basketball team SHOULD win at home in a matchup of reasonably similar talent, and so we shouldn't be surprised that, of 12 games yesterday, nine home teams were victorious. The most telling results, therefore, are the ones involving road wins/home losses. The best performance was turned in by the Mid-American Conference, which went 2-0, with Akron winning at Florida State, its first-ever win over an ACC school. This means you better pick ninth-seeded Kent State to beat UNLV.
The worst performance was turned in by the WAC, which doesn't matter because no one's taking Boise State, and the Big 10, with Minnesota losing at home to Maryland. Maybe all these Big 10 skeptics are right. Pick against Indiana and Purdue in the first round, I guess. The Maryland road win balances out the Florida State home loss, so we can't say anything yet about the ACC.
The Atlantic 10 was the only conference to lose two games yesterday, but both were on the road, so you're not officially allowed to count Xavier out yet, although I already have. The Missouri Valley was the only other conference to win two games yesterday, but both were at home, so I'm still hating on Drake.
As for those plucky Terps, it's on to Syracuse. If I'm not mistaken, Minnesota now is the highest non-conference RPI win for Maryland of the season. If the Terps get by the Orange, a non-BCS team would be between Maryland the Madison Square Garden: either U-Mass. or Akron. Boom Osby says the Terps have finally turned the corner, and good timing, since one more loss and they're done. Man, I've got NIT Fever.
By Dan Steinberg |
March 19, 2008; 9:29 AM ET
| Category:
College Basketball
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Posted by: jamie | March 19, 2008 09:59 AM
Go Terps! Of course it's just the NIT, but it is what it is.
Posted by: Terp/Wiz Lover | March 19, 2008 10:37 AM
Wow Syracuse vs. maryland If there ever was a game where i wished both schools could lose, this would be it.
Posted by: Peter | March 19, 2008 11:18 AM
Rematch of the 2002 vs 2003 national champions
Posted by: JDP | March 19, 2008 11:23 AM
Those who think the Post overcovers Maryland should peep the AP byline on the NIT writeup. I was disappointed, personally.
Posted by: Lindemann | March 19, 2008 02:07 PM
Does Richmond still put up a 2008 CBI Sweet 16 Banner?
Posted by: NorfolkCrazy | March 19, 2008 08:04 PM
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nothing about Virginia's thrilling, end-of-game win over Richmond? thus setting up a matchup against ODU that could determine 9th place in the final Atlantic 11 poll? i think the area teams went 4-2 yesterday with the losses coming in head-to-head matchups. the excitement builds - i may just explode sometime around 2pm on Thursday when i'm still stuck at work.