Being the #1 seed in the NIT has to be the most hollow "honor" ever bestowed upon a basketball team. I'm trying to search for the positives here: at least SDSU fans will get to watch Wade, Spain, Richie, etc at home again. At least the Aztecs will get another gate or two, which helps the coffers. At least SDSU will get to play on national TV, and if they do happen to roll off a few wins, they'll get second stage exposure. On the flip side, you're #1 among the also-rans...so if you win the whole NIT, you're still big fish of the small pond, but if you lose, you were upset and underachieved again. Awesome.
Do I think they should have made the field? Yes. They should have done it by beating St. Mary's at the Wooden Classic. They should have done it by hanging onto their lead against Arizona State. Or not blowing a 14-point second half lead against BYU. Or by winning in Laramie against a defense-challenged Wyoming team. Or by finding a way to put the ball through the hoop in the MWC final against Utah. As they stood this afternoon, the Aztecs were probably still one of the best 65 teams in the country. But if they had done ANY of the things listed above, there wouldn't have been any question.
I have changed the poll: please vote as to whether you think SDSU got what they deserved, or got robbed of a spot in the NCAA's.
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As much as I hate to admit it, they made their own bed and got what they deserved. I've said it many times, and you're absolutely right, Craig: Win any of those games--ESPECIALLY the BYU game at home--and we're not talking about the Aztecs being snubbed right now.
ReplyDeleteBottom line: This team controlled it's own destiny as far back as November, and they blew it.
Gotta start beating those "big time" opponents. This has ALWAYS been Fisher's downfall while here at SDSU.
Of course the MWC and the aztecs got slighted! Obviously the BCS schools received way to many "at large" bids! I mean, only 4 at large selections out of 34 from non BCS schools? Only 2 selections from the seventh highest rated conference in the country? Perhaps Bobby Knight as the best idea I have heard and is to simply let everyone play 1 more game as a "play in game" and go from there? Every Division I school gets a shot at the "big dance". If not then the system now controlled by the BCS money schools will continue to get the selections. It is sort of like trying to watch 2 schools with 6-6 records compete in one of some 40-45 football bowl games! It is, after all, about the money and who is calling the shots. Thanks.
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