Iona clinched the 1 seed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic with a 14-15 record. They're done until the MAAC Tournament. Quinnipiac plays tomorrow and can tie Iona for first, but Iona has the tiebreaker. Iona is 12-6 in the MAAC. Even in bad conferences, it's hard to be a regular season champion while below .500 overall.

The Metro Atlantic is having an unusually bad year. All the strong programs are down right now. Conference RPI rank is way off from where it usually is... currently 29, down from 21 at the end of last season.

The only conference games left will happen tomorrow and look at the log jam that still exists for seeds 2 through 5 which will get the byes in the conference tournament: http://dalydoseofhoops.blogspot.com/2019...march.html

At one point, 1/2 a game separated 1st from 6th in the Metro Atlantic. What a beautiful mess.

Iona plays a very fun style under Tim Cluess (at-large in 2012), everyone knows about giant slayer Monmouth, and Siena has amazing support for a sinking program post-Fran. Those 3 are a solid core dragged down by everyone else.

(03-02-2019 09:24 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  ...Siena has amazing support for a sinking program post-Fran.

Oh, relax. Siena lives or dies by whether it can hire the right coach, this isn’t the first time the program’s gone down and come back up. Watch out for Jamion Christian, the only problem is that he’ll probably take a major conference job in a few years.

Quinnipiac, Canisius, Rider, and Siena all tied for 2nd place in the MAAC. They'll be seeded 2 through 5, joining Iona to fill all the slots that get a bye in the conference tourney.

I think this is one of the reasons why a split for all sports to move schools like this one to 1AA for basketball. That would actually open up more at large bids for CUSA, MAC, MWC, AAC, SBC and others top basketball conference. I do not think any schools from this conference deserve to be in the 68 team field.

(03-03-2019 09:14 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think this is one of the reasons why a split for all sports to move schools like this one to 1AA for basketball. That would actually open up more at large bids for CUSA, MAC, MWC, AAC, SBC and others top basketball conference. I do not think any schools from this conference deserve to be in the 68 team field.

An NCAA Tournament with no Sister Jean and Loyola? No UMBC eliminating Virginia? No FGCU Dunk City? No “Havoc” from VCU? No Butler two years in a row? This is what’s beautiful about basketball, it doesn’t need to draw the same bright lines about resources. What kind of “David” are you when you’re rooting for Goliath? Football will be football, but let basketball be basketball.

(03-03-2019 09:14 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think this is one of the reasons why a split for all sports to move schools like this one to 1AA for basketball. That would actually open up more at large bids for CUSA, MAC, MWC, AAC, SBC and others top basketball conference. I do not think any schools from this conference deserve to be in the 68 team field.

Didn’t expect a GoliathSt plot twist.

(03-03-2019 09:38 PM)CenterSquarEd Wrote:  

(03-03-2019 09:14 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think this is one of the reasons why a split for all sports to move schools like this one to 1AA for basketball. That would actually open up more at large bids for CUSA, MAC, MWC, AAC, SBC and others top basketball conference. I do not think any schools from this conference deserve to be in the 68 team field.

An NCAA Tournament with no Sister Jean and Loyola? No UMBC eliminating Virginia? No FGCU Dunk City? No “Havoc” from VCU? No Butler two years in a row? This is what’s beautiful about basketball, it doesn’t need to draw the same bright lines about resources. What kind of “David” are you when you’re rooting for Goliath? Football will be football, but let basketball be basketball.

Bravo

Congrats to Iona locking up an NIT bid (if they don't win their conference tourney).

I think giving automatic NIT bids to regular season conference champs was the best thing the NCAA has done since expanding the 64 teams in the 80s.

(03-04-2019 10:05 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  Congrats to Iona locking up an NIT bid (if they don't win their conference tourney).

I think giving automatic NIT bids to regular season conference champs was the best thing the NCAA has done since expanding the 64 teams in the 80s.

It is good, but I do prefer the solution on the women's side. Every conference has an autobid to the women's NIT. If the regular season champion doesn't make the NCAA, it goes to the champion. If the champion makes the NCAA tournament then it's the highest rated team from the conference that doesn't make the NCAA.

(03-04-2019 11:22 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 10:05 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  Congrats to Iona locking up an NIT bid (if they don't win their conference tourney).

I think giving automatic NIT bids to regular season conference champs was the best thing the NCAA has done since expanding the 64 teams in the 80s.

It is good, but I do prefer the solution on the women's side. Every conference has an autobid to the women's NIT. If the regular season champion doesn't make the NCAA, it goes to the champion. If the champion makes the NCAA tournament then it's the highest rated team from the conference that doesn't make the NCAA.

How big is the women's NIT?

(03-04-2019 03:47 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 11:22 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 10:05 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  Congrats to Iona locking up an NIT bid (if they don't win their conference tourney).

I think giving automatic NIT bids to regular season conference champs was the best thing the NCAA has done since expanding the 64 teams in the 80s.

It is good, but I do prefer the solution on the women's side. Every conference has an autobid to the women's NIT. If the regular season champion doesn't make the NCAA, it goes to the champion. If the champion makes the NCAA tournament then it's the highest rated team from the conference that doesn't make the NCAA.

How big is the women's NIT?

64 teams, just like the NCAAs. Plenty of room for every conference to have a team while still ensuring the close-but-no-cigar teams have a place. There's also only one third-tier tourney, the 16-team WBI.

(03-04-2019 03:49 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 03:47 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 11:22 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 10:05 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  Congrats to Iona locking up an NIT bid (if they don't win their conference tourney).

I think giving automatic NIT bids to regular season conference champs was the best thing the NCAA has done since expanding the 64 teams in the 80s.

It is good, but I do prefer the solution on the women's side. Every conference has an autobid to the women's NIT. If the regular season champion doesn't make the NCAA, it goes to the champion. If the champion makes the NCAA tournament then it's the highest rated team from the conference that doesn't make the NCAA.

How big is the women's NIT?

64 teams, just like the NCAAs. Plenty of room for every conference to have a team while still ensuring the close-but-no-cigar teams have a place. There's also only one third-tier tourney, the 16-team WBI.

I'd like to see the Men's NIT expand to 64. There's obviously enough demand for it, as there are so many other post season tournaments.

(03-05-2019 12:59 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 03:49 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 03:47 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 11:22 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 10:05 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  Congrats to Iona locking up an NIT bid (if they don't win their conference tourney).

I think giving automatic NIT bids to regular season conference champs was the best thing the NCAA has done since expanding the 64 teams in the 80s.

It is good, but I do prefer the solution on the women's side. Every conference has an autobid to the women's NIT. If the regular season champion doesn't make the NCAA, it goes to the champion. If the champion makes the NCAA tournament then it's the highest rated team from the conference that doesn't make the NCAA.

How big is the women's NIT?

64 teams, just like the NCAAs. Plenty of room for every conference to have a team while still ensuring the close-but-no-cigar teams have a place. There's also only one third-tier tourney, the 16-team WBI.

I'd like to see the Men's NIT expand to 64. There's obviously enough demand for it, as there are so many other post season tournaments.

It would he nice if they did but it might make them susceptible to the same type of lawsuit that the old NIT owners brought against the NCAA