Wisconsin Basketball 2022-23

[MVP2110]

55 minutes ago, CheezWizHed said:

To me it is similar to the Packers winning their division or NFC championship.  You are happy to win it, but you won't wear it on a Tshirt because it means you didn't win the Super Bowl. 

I see people in NFC North Division Champ gear all the time. Atleast in that case you made it to the playoffs. This would be more like if the NFL did a 2nd playoffs last year with the Packers, Lions, Commanders, & Steelers of whoever else just missed the playoffs and won that

[Brewcrew82]

6 hours ago, adambr2 said:

Is/would winning an NIT Championship be enjoyable on any level? Do they hang banners for that? 

I'm not being sarcastic, it's pretty uncharted territory. I've personally enjoyed the run more than I would have enjoyed a 1 and done in the NCAAs.

I'm guessing it's usually more rewarding for a mid-major who usually never gets to the dance anyway. 

I agree that this NIT run has been oddly enjoyable on a personal level, despite the strong disappointment of missing the NCAA tournament. 

But, I don't think it would be wise for a program like UW, which has established a baseline expectation of making the tournament every year, to hang a NIT Championship banner in the rafters of the Kohl Center. If we win, let the players wear the t-shirts, lift the trophy, and party in the locker room. But let the celebration stay there.

It's funny because in the basketball iteration of the Kohl Center, there is actually an inscription on the facade noting the Women's NIT Championship in 2000, with virtually nothing else. For the men, though, there's only a notation of Sweet Sixteens, Elite Eights, Final Fours, NCAA Championships, BIG Tournament Championships, and BIG Championships. Different programs, different expectations. Best keep it that way imo. 

[Oxy]

It should be acknowledged somewhere, but not alongside NCAA and B1G Championship banners.

First, of course, they have to win a couple of games.

[valpocrewsader]

If I walked into the gym of a top tier program and saw an NIT championship banner, I don't think I'd even bat an eye. Even if it were Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC. I'd probably just think to myself, "Geez, so even in the rare down year where they miss the big dance, they still know how to play championship ball and come out on top as winners. Sounds about right." With a mix of respect and envy. 

[areacodes]

9 hours ago, Oxy said:

It should be acknowledged somewhere, but not alongside NCAA and B1G Championship banners.

First, of course, they have to win a couple of games.

This is where I stand on it.

Put the trophy in a case somewhere and toss the net you cut down from the game around it and call it a day.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Not UW related but UWGB hired Sundance Wicks, former ass't at Wyoming, to be their next head coach and it was just announced that eight members of the Wyoming team are transferring. Could be a large influx of talent from Laramie to Green Bay if Wicks had a good relationship with the kids.

[MrTPlush]

Playing in the NIT and hanging a banner after beating a bunch of mid-majors? That is pretty cringe. Celebrating beating the likes of Bradley/Liberty/North Texas…you know, a bunch of filler teams you typically play in December for free wins.

You are basically celebrating being the #69th team in the nation.

It is a fun little scrimmage of games after the season, but this has even less meaning than one of those early year 3-game tourneys every year.

[Jim French Stepstool]

3 hours ago, MrTPlush said:

Playing in the NIT and hanging a banner after beating a bunch of mid-majors? That is pretty cringe. Celebrating beating the likes of Bradley/Liberty/North Texas…you know, a bunch of filler teams you typically play in December for free wins.

You are basically celebrating being the #69th team in the nation.

It is a fun little scrimmage of games after the season, but this has even less meaning than one of those early year 3-game tourneys every year.

No coach looking for a free win early in a season is scheduling North Texas, Liberty, or Utah Valley or UAB for that matter. All of them are more than capable of beating Oregon--the one "helmet school" they faced in the tourney. These teams aren't national powers. But it's long since been proven that there are a ton of relative unknowns out there that you need to play well against to beat--whether regular season, NIT or NCAA (as I'm composing this Fla Atlantic sent Tennessee packing). Sure, on average there's a difference between P-5 & the better mid-majors. But it isn't the chasm some think it is.

If they win it & hang a banner, for me it'll represent winning five games in a row to close out the season, vs competition that got better as it unfolded. With the uneven season UW had that's no small feat in my book.

I agree the early-season tourneys always will have better fields. They're made-for-TV affairs that can invite whoever they want w/o regard to season resume since the invites are set a year in advance.

 

[CheezWizHed]

Badgers are currently the last Big10 team playing in post-season tournaments!

[homer]

On 3/23/2023 at 11:05 PM, Jim French Stepstool said:

No coach looking for a free win early in a season is scheduling North Texas, Liberty, or Utah Valley or UAB for that matter. All of them are more than capable of beating Oregon--the one "helmet school" they faced in the tourney. These teams aren't national powers. But it's long since been proven that there are a ton of relative unknowns out there that you need to play well against to beat--whether regular season, NIT or NCAA (as I'm composing this Fla Atlantic sent Tennessee packing). Sure, on average there's a difference between P-5 & the better mid-majors. But it isn't the chasm some think it is.

If they win it & hang a banner, for me it'll represent winning five games in a row to close out the season, vs competition that got better as it unfolded. With the uneven season UW had that's no small feat in my book.

I agree the early-season tourneys always will have better fields. They're made-for-TV affairs that can invite whoever they want w/o regard to season resume since the invites are set a year in advance.

 

I don't mind a banner. The NCAA tournament is NOT the best 68 teams. There are so many auto bids that most 15 and 16 seeds would probably lose round 1 of the NIT. Not to mention the 9, 10 seeds from big conferences that are probably worse than most 2nd place teams from lesser conferences. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

On 3/26/2023 at 10:02 AM, homer said:

There are so many auto bids that most 15 and 16 seeds would probably lose round 1 of the NIT. Not to mention the 9, 10 seeds from big conferences that are probably worse than most 2nd place teams from lesser conferences. 

All of that is true, at times. And some years not. It's what makes college basketball in March so compelling.

[MVP2110]

The Final 4 this year consists of a 4, 5, 5, & 9 seed. This is why judging coaches solely on how they do the tournament is flawed 

[Oxy]

Feels so weird to be cheering for this team right now...and not be CHEERING for this team (in the NCAAs).

Like, it's been a week since the last game and I basically moved on to the Brewers season for my sports attention...and yet...another game.

[homer]

Chucky is on a heater

[Oxy]

2 minutes ago, homer said:

Chuckie is on a heater

back-to-back heat checks go in...yikes...

[homer]

Would not be surprised to see about 50 points combined next half.

[young guns]

Would be nice to score at least once more before the end of the game yeesh.

[owbc]

Sometimes it feels like this team will never score again but this team is taking that literally. 

[wallus]

Any NIL money needs to be repaid with interest. 

Awful timeout by Gard.

[homer]

1 hour ago, homer said:

Would not be surprised to see about 50 points combined next half.

or 40

[young guns]

Wow.

[homer]

Hepburn's first half heater was more points than the team scored the entire 2nd half. 

[yourout]

Flat out lack of talent.

Absolutely nobody on offense that can create and get to the rim.

[young guns]

9:07 without a point to end the game.  Insert the "major league" euker rant here, but points in for hits.

[Brewcrew82]

Gard's got work to do this offseason. Only the NIT, but stretches like tonight were par for the course this season, and are absolutely inexcusable for this program.