Oh, the possibilities.
Barring a minor miracle, the Cats won’t be dancing for the first time in 17 years, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t enough interesting storylines to go around — even in the National Invitational Tournament. Here’s a list of five possible headlines to look for this postseason:
Most Valuable Player…for the NIT?
Ever since Jodie Meeks dropped 54 points on Tennessee, media pundits and fans have talked about the junior as the best player in the nation. Stephen Curry, Mr. Do-it-all for Davidson, would like to refute that point.
Since Curry and Co. lost in their conference semifinals to the College of Charleston over the weekend the odds are good that the two one-time National Player of the Year Candidates could square off. And then we could finally settle the debate.
Tubby Returns
While currently unlikely, it’s possible the Gophers could have their NCAA Tournament bubble burst and land as a top seed in the NIT. It would take deep NIT runs by both teams, but there is a possibility for Tubby Smith to meet his former employer. Smith already beat the best team in the Commonwealth (Louisville) earlier this year on a neutral court. He could make it 2-for-2.
Don’t forget that almost everyone currently on UK’s roster was recruited and coached by Smith. The possibility of college basketball’s first ever on-court mutiny is just too good to be true. But if you see Meeks ask Smith for advice, don’t get mad.
We are the champions
It’s probable the Cats actually decide to play basketball and win the Southeastern Conference Tournament, but we won’t count on it. Instead, let’s look at this one: the Cats bring home their first NIT championship since the 1979 season. Being an NIT champion is still a national champion right? Well, it’s better than the College Basketball Invitational, guys.
SouthLEASTern Conference
A look at Monday’s Bracketology on www.ESPN.com has the SEC has the lowest of the Big Six conferences. Even the Mountain West had more potential bids. While nothing is final and things could change, what was once a top basketball conference just a few years back as turn into a lousy excuse for the sport this year. Louisiana State, Tennessee and South Carolina are currently in according to Monday’s release. But the Gamecocks are barely in and Florida has major work to do to secure a fourth seed. The good news: it’s spring football practice time.
Second chance Cats
If the guys over at the Bracket Project know their NIT stuff, then there’s a chance UK could match up with some familiar foes. The Cats could face Kansas State in the NIT second round and have a regional semifinal matchup with Miami (Fla.). If you didn’t catch those games the first time, chances are you could get the re-run.
Now, these five things may seem a little cruel, of course fans would love to see UK playing in the NCAA tournament and if that’s the case, well, that’s not so bad either. But if the Cats are going to swallow the pill, that is the NIT, they better start their scouting reports. Hope they didn’t already recycle those old ones.
Kenny Colston is a journalism junior. E-mail kcolston@kykernel.com.
Recent Comments