NIT - should have gone, yes, but WHY?

[strickark]

Quitters never win, winners never quit...This team, this program, this coach needs to develop the will to win.  They have to find that in their heart.  What better way to start than to have to beat UALR for their pride, the pride of the coach, the pride of the program.

I believe part of the start of the successful years in the previous coach era was they had to beat Arkansas State in the NIT.  They grew up that night, they believed in themselves.  They found a way to get the job done.  We know the rest of the story.

And if they had lost to UALR, pretty much where we are right now...still needing to develop the will and the desire in our selves to get the job done.  But, at least we gave ourselves another opportunity.

[hawkeyefan17]

I didn't see UALR in the NIT bracket.

[Lando Calrissian]

I thought UALR was supposed to be the greatest team of all time this season.

I know there isn't ANYTHING to brag about concerning the Razorbacks this season, but at least the NIT bid was our's to turn down.

Where are those UALR bandwagoners now?

[PerryHog]

I suspect they are all grumbling that they'd be in the nit if the hogs hadn't ducked them.

[hawkeyefan17]

It is pretty bad when it is someone else's fault that you didn't get into the postseason.

[sooie dog]

Are we sure that there was a NIT bid for us to turn down? Maybe Stan was trying to be proactive, knowing that we wouldn't be invited, and say "We're not going to accept a NIT bid" when there wasn't even one to turn down. Maybe he thought it would look better if we declined a NIT bid rather than them not inviting us at all.

UALR is supposedly better than us and they didn't get invited so what makes us think that we would have?

You can't be serious

[heathshogs]

I don't know for sure that we would have gotten a bid. Had we been able to promise the 10,000 seats we would have been in. But apparently thats part of what weighed heavily in this decision. Frank was concerned we wouldn't sell the 10,000 seast since there was only 3,000 pre-ordered. Broyles did not want to end up paying the difference.

I do believe the attendance would have been over 10,000 although not full. The reason we would be in and UALR is not is simply that, attendance. NIT basically looks for the eligible teams that can put butts in the seats and thereby money in their pockets. UALR might have gotten in had Arkansas been in because the match up would likely sell seats.

[hawkeyefan17]

I remember Northwestern got an NIT bid back in the mid to late 1990's (when they had Evan Eschmeyer) with a 16-15 record and a horrible conference record. Missouri is an NIT team this year with a 16-16 record.

Arkansas would have gotten an NIT bid and should have taken it.