It has been a rough four years for seniors like me who love Hoyas basketball. We have had our great moments, but far more “what if’s.” I often wonder what it would have been like to go to a university with a more successful basketball program, for as much as I hate to admit it, I often envy the Dukies in March. But that is all in the past, and I must simply accept my lot in life and be happy with what I have been given, so that is what I have decided to do. Embrace the National Invitation Tournament.
The NIT is often referred to as the Not Important Tournament or the Not In Tournament, referring to the fact that those who are invited are teams that were on the bubble but not selected to compete in the NCAA tournament. But if you think that means that the NIT is worthless and we shouldn’t bother participating, then you should think again.
If you look at the teams that have been in the NIT over the past few years, you’ll notice many names from this year’s NCAA Tournament. Memphis, Syracuse, Tulsa, Alabama, Wake Forest and Notre Dame are all recent NIT alums who made the Big Dance. The last time Georgetown was in the NIT was three years ago and the team made the Sweet Sixteen the next March. In comparison, we turned down our NIT bid last March, gained no postseason experience for our younger players and ended up in the exact same spot this year. Any kind of postseason experience will lead to a stronger performance the next season, and that is one reason why participating in the NIT can be rewarding.
One debate that often arises when talking about the NIT is whether or not it would be better to see our team get knocked out in the first round of the NCAA tournament or win the NIT. To me, questions like these are ridiculous. Of course, in opposition to Athletic Director Joe Lang’s statements, as fans we expect our team to get to the NCAAs every year. It is simply more exciting and prestigious than the NIT and offers a much higher level of play. But to say that it would be better to watch the Hoyas lose one game in the NCAAs and be forgotten than to see them win a nationally televised tournament is just stupid. While most people might not remember who won the NIT last year-it was Memphis by the way-true college basketball fans do remember, and recruits take postseason success very seriously when choosing their schools.
Another positive way to look at the NIT is that this may be the last time that Hoyas fans have a chance to see Mike Sweetney play in a Georgetown jersey, as he might consider turning pro next year. While many fans would have liked to see Sweetney battle the country’s premier big men in the NCAA tournament, the NIT will still be an opportunity for Sweets to show NBA scouts just how good he is, and might improve his draft status if he decides to leave Georgetown at the end of the year. The longer Sweetney plays, the better his chances are of being a top pick the draft, and I don’t think there’s a Hoyas fan out there who doesn’t want the best for Mike Sweetney.
From a team perspective, if the Hoyas reach the NIT finals they will get to return to Madison Square Garden in New York, which is also the home of the Big East Tournament each year. Having a chance to play at the Garden will give the younger players a valuable opportunity to get better acquainted with the arena and the crowd. Perhaps that could be the difference next year when they need to step up and get a few wins so we can finally get back to the NCAAs.
Finally, if you watched the Hoyas beat North Carolina on Wednesday night (in an ‘82 NCAA finals rematch), you know that the NIT is still packed with thrills and that each game we have played has been progressively better and more fun to watch. The longer the season continues, the more games we get to see and the more we get to talk smack to opposing teams’ fans. If that isn’t motivation then I don’t know what is. Go Hoyas, and let’s bring home the national championship. National Invitation Championship, that is!
