Big names UConn, Tar Heels headline NIT
March 15, 2010
NEW YORK (AP)—North Carolina and UConn are lending some serious star power tothe NIT.
The Tar Heels were a No. 4 seed in the bracket released Sunday, the secondtime in the past three years that the defending national champion missed theNCAA tournament. Florida also played in the NIT in 2008 after winning the title.
It was the first time that North Carolina (16-16) missed out on the bigparty since 2003, but it certainly wasn’t unexpected. The Tar Heels lost 10 outof 12 games during a midseason swoon, and were beaten by Georgia Tech in theAtlantic Coast Conference tournament.
Connecticut (17-15) is the other blueblood relegated to the NIT, also pickedas a fourth seed after making the Final Four last season.
The Huskies had a trying season in which coach Jim Calhoun missed severalgames with an undisclosed medical condition. They made a run in February torenew their NCAA tournament hopes, but head into their NIT opener againstNortheastern coming off four straight losses, including a 73-51 rout by St.John’s in the Big East tournament.
“With a quick glance at the bracket, it looks like the field is remarkablytough,” Calhoun said. “There are plenty of teams that were in position to makethe NCAA tournament, and I think that with all of the parity in the field, itwill be very difficult to win and advance.”
The NIT begins Tuesday on campuses with the championship April 1 at MadisonSquare Garden.
The No. 1 seeds were Illinois, Arizona State, Virginia Tech and MississippiState, all teams that spent Sunday hoping for NCAA tournament bids.
The Bulldogs may have had the most emotional afternoon. They blew afive-point lead with 2:28 left in the Southeastern Conference championship gameagainst Kentucky, eventually losing 75-74 in overtime—and with the game, theirNCAA tournament berth.
“We had our opportunities to close it out. That’s part of the game,”Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury said. “And I can promise you, there’snot one ounce left in them.”
Mississippi State will open the tournament against in-state rival JacksonState, which got an automatic berth to the NIT by winning the SouthwesternAthletic Conference regular-season title.
The winner will get North Carolina or No. 5 seed William & Mary, while theother half of their bracket includes No. 3-seeded South Florida against NorthCarolina State and No. 2 seed Alabama-Birmingham against Big Southregular-season champ Coastal Carolina.
Virginia Tech watched its bubble burst for the third straight year, and willopen the NIT against Quinnipiac. The Hokies (23-8) had a better overall and ACCrecord than Wake Forest, which made the NCAA tournament, but were done in by apoor RPI and strength of schedule.
“I’m very proud of my team. We’ve had a great run,” Virginia Tech coachSeth Greenberg said. “It will be a tough job to get my guys up and ready toplay, but that’s my job.”
The Hokies could meet Connecticut in the second round, assuming both teamswin. Wichita State has the third seed in the region and will play Nevada, whileRhode Island received a No. 2 seed and will open the tournament againstNorthwestern.
“We went 12-1 nonconference, we beat teams from the Big East, Big 12,ACC,” said Rhode Island coach Jim Baron, who hoped a semifinal run in theAtlantic 10 tournament would be enough to make the NCAA bracket. “We certainlyworked our way in to be right there.”
Illinois will play Stony Brook in its opening game. Elsewhere in its region,Kent State plays Tulsa, Dayton plays Illinois State, and second-seededCincinnati gets Weber State.
Arizona State will open against Jacksonville, with the winner getting SetonHall or Texas Tech in the second round. Second-seeded Mississippi opens againstTroy, while third-seeded Memphis plays St. John’s.
Associated Press Writer Pat Eaton-Robb contributed to this report.
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