Here are the teams that have accepted invitations to the PIT for Season 31...
Illinois--Coached by kgoat, they will represent the Big Ten in this classic. They have recently completed play in the Season 29 NT, making it to the 2nd round before falling to top seeded Arizona. Illinois was an At-Large entry in the tournament and finished with a record of 21-11 and were nationally at #17.
Brown--Led by jgsolari3, they will be a representative from the Ivy League in the PIT. Brown (23-8) finished the season as CT Champs and made the 2nd round of the NT before falling to 2nd seeded Maryland.
George Mason--Under the leadership of doomey, the champions of the Colonial Athletic Association finished the season with a 1st round loss in the NT to #15 Texas. They finished with a record of 26-4.
Ohio--Under coach blakesdad, they were the regular season champs of the Mac Conference and received a berth in the NT. They finished the season at (22-7) after a 1st round tournament loss to an entry in the Season 30 PIT (Siena).
Creighton--Led by stevie_robot, they were rewarded with an At-Large bid in the lastest NT. With a record of 23-7, the representative from the Missouri Valley exited the NT after a 1st round loss from another team in the Season 30 PIT (Arkansas Little Rock).
Cal Irvine--Under the leadership of bearcat74, the representatives from the Big West Conference completed their recent season with a record of 18-12. They are just itching to get a chance to play against stiff competition and feel that they have something to prove as they were the lone team to not get an invite to the latest NT.
Tennessee Tech--The host school of the tournament just completed their recent season in the Ohio Valley as regular season Co-Champs and CT champions. Coach kevbo65 and team were crushed after a 2nd round NT loss to defending champions and #1 seeded Rhode Island. They completed their season with a record of 23-8.
Season 30 PIT champions--Still to be determined, we do know that this team has participated as part of the NT as all 8 teams in the Season 30 field qualified for the NT. If the host school Tennessee Tech should happen to prevail, then the 2nd place team will then be invited into the Season 31 field.
As you can see, this shapes up to be another fantastic field. The schedule for this classic will be posted on the blog in the next few days.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Season 30 Field Goes 8 for 8!!!
The National Tourney bids for Season 29 Post-Season came out today and ALL 8 teams in next year's inaugural PIT classic were awarded spots....
In the East Region, South Carolina State (22-7) earned a spot in the tournament by winning their conference tourney. They were awarded the #16 spot in the region and will take on top seed and nationally ranked #1 Northwestern (22-6).
The South region has 2 representatives in this year's NT. With a national ranking of #23, 4th seeded Arkansas Little Rock (24-5) earned both a regular and conference championship and will oppose #13 seed Creighton (23-6 and regular season champs in the Missouri Valley). In the other matchup in this region, #11 Siena (25-4) takes a #5 seed into a matchup against #12 seed Ohio (22-6). Siena won both the regular and conference championships while Ohio was a regular season champ in the MAC. If the favorites prevail in both matchups, a 2nd round matchup would pit both teams in the next season's PIT against each other.
The Midwest region also has 2 teams represented as #5 ranked Miami FL (24-4) gets a #5 seed and faces #12 seeded Sacred Heart (19-9) in the 1st round of the NT. Miami FL was a regular season champion in the ACC while Sacred Heart was an At-Large entry into this year's field. In the other matchup, 16th seeded Davidson (16-13) will face #13 ranked and top seeded Arizona (20-9). Davidson was both the regular and conference champ while Arizona topped that by not only winning both, but also achieving the best RPI and SOS in Division I basketball.
The West Region has the most representatives as 3 teams are in the field in this region. Tennessee Tech (22-7) earned a #8 seed and faces #9 seed Kent State (21-9). Tennessee Tech won a share of the regular season and CT championship and Kent State was the CT champ in the MAC conference. In another first round matchup, #13 seed Northwestern State (21-7 and At-Large entrant) will face #22 nationally ranked and #4 seeded Eastern Washington (26-3). Eastern Washington took both the regular and CT championships in the Big Sky Conference. The final matchup featuring teams from the Season 30 PIT will feature #16 seeded Western Illinois (18-12 and Summit League CT champs) against #2 ranked and #1 seeded Rhode Island (25-3). Should Western Illinois and Tennessee Tech both find a way to win their 1st round matchups, a potential 2nd round meeting between the 2 would take place.
I am also very proud to announce that the Season 31 field has been completed as of this morning and of that field, 7 teams will be represented in this the year's NT also. Of course there is overlap as 2 of those spots have been reserved for the host school (Tennessee Tech) and the winner of the Season 30 PIT. In the next few days, I will work at putting together a feature about these schools, so please keep checking back for more features on this and the progress of the teams in the NT tournament...
In the East Region, South Carolina State (22-7) earned a spot in the tournament by winning their conference tourney. They were awarded the #16 spot in the region and will take on top seed and nationally ranked #1 Northwestern (22-6).
The South region has 2 representatives in this year's NT. With a national ranking of #23, 4th seeded Arkansas Little Rock (24-5) earned both a regular and conference championship and will oppose #13 seed Creighton (23-6 and regular season champs in the Missouri Valley). In the other matchup in this region, #11 Siena (25-4) takes a #5 seed into a matchup against #12 seed Ohio (22-6). Siena won both the regular and conference championships while Ohio was a regular season champ in the MAC. If the favorites prevail in both matchups, a 2nd round matchup would pit both teams in the next season's PIT against each other.
The Midwest region also has 2 teams represented as #5 ranked Miami FL (24-4) gets a #5 seed and faces #12 seeded Sacred Heart (19-9) in the 1st round of the NT. Miami FL was a regular season champion in the ACC while Sacred Heart was an At-Large entry into this year's field. In the other matchup, 16th seeded Davidson (16-13) will face #13 ranked and top seeded Arizona (20-9). Davidson was both the regular and conference champ while Arizona topped that by not only winning both, but also achieving the best RPI and SOS in Division I basketball.
The West Region has the most representatives as 3 teams are in the field in this region. Tennessee Tech (22-7) earned a #8 seed and faces #9 seed Kent State (21-9). Tennessee Tech won a share of the regular season and CT championship and Kent State was the CT champ in the MAC conference. In another first round matchup, #13 seed Northwestern State (21-7 and At-Large entrant) will face #22 nationally ranked and #4 seeded Eastern Washington (26-3). Eastern Washington took both the regular and CT championships in the Big Sky Conference. The final matchup featuring teams from the Season 30 PIT will feature #16 seeded Western Illinois (18-12 and Summit League CT champs) against #2 ranked and #1 seeded Rhode Island (25-3). Should Western Illinois and Tennessee Tech both find a way to win their 1st round matchups, a potential 2nd round meeting between the 2 would take place.
I am also very proud to announce that the Season 31 field has been completed as of this morning and of that field, 7 teams will be represented in this the year's NT also. Of course there is overlap as 2 of those spots have been reserved for the host school (Tennessee Tech) and the winner of the Season 30 PIT. In the next few days, I will work at putting together a feature about these schools, so please keep checking back for more features on this and the progress of the teams in the NT tournament...
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Season 30 Field Update
Here are the current standings going into Conference Tourneys...
Miami FL 13-3/23-3
South Carolina State 10-6/19-7
Northwestern State 13-3/20-6
Siena 16-0/22-4
Arkansas Little Rock 15-1/21-5
Tennessee Tech 15-1/19-7
Western Illinois 10-6/14-12
Davidson 13-3/13-13
Miami FL goes into the conference tourney as ACC Co-Champs, ranked #5 nationally and boasts a RPI rating of 17.
South Carolina State goes into their conference tourney with a modest 3 game winning streak and with a RPI of 134 will need to win the conference tournament to get into a post-season tournament.
Northwestern State is clearly on the bubble for entrance in the Big Dance as the RPI is currently at 54.
Siena is currently on a 17 game winning steak going in conference tournament play and an undefeated conference slate along with a national rating of #14 and RPI of 25 has them clearly punched with a dance card.
Arkansas Litttle Rock has secured the regular season championship of the Sunbelt Conference. With a 7 game winning streak and a RPI of 20, this is another team that secured entrance in the Big Dance no matter what may happen in the conference tourney. Bubble teams everywhere are rooting for this team to win the conference tournament championship also.
Tennessee Tech has recently been crowned as Co-Champs of the Ohio Valley. Even riding into the conference tournament with a 10 game winning streak, they are still squarely on the bubble with a RPI of 46. A berth in the conference tournament final may be enough but this club must play to win the entire thing.
Western Illinois is a team that had a respectable 10-6 conference season and must win the conference tournament to gain entrance into a post-season tournament.
Davidson is currently riding an 8 game winning streak and has come a long way since the 0-10 non-conference record. This is another club that needs to have some tournament magic in order to have their post-season dreams come true.
At this point, I would also like to let you know that 7 teams have been confirmed for the Season 31 field and I am still looking for the final team. If anyone has a recommendation, please feel free to pass it my way. Once the entire field is set, I will release the names and do a similar set up that I have provided for this field.
We are getting closer to the first games being played in this classic and it looks to be a very good field. Miami FL, at this point, looks to be the favorite, but again anything can happen once you get several great teams and coaches together in one tournament-type setting.
Good luck one and all in your upcoming games!
Kevbo65
Miami FL 13-3/23-3
South Carolina State 10-6/19-7
Northwestern State 13-3/20-6
Siena 16-0/22-4
Arkansas Little Rock 15-1/21-5
Tennessee Tech 15-1/19-7
Western Illinois 10-6/14-12
Davidson 13-3/13-13
Miami FL goes into the conference tourney as ACC Co-Champs, ranked #5 nationally and boasts a RPI rating of 17.
South Carolina State goes into their conference tourney with a modest 3 game winning streak and with a RPI of 134 will need to win the conference tournament to get into a post-season tournament.
Northwestern State is clearly on the bubble for entrance in the Big Dance as the RPI is currently at 54.
Siena is currently on a 17 game winning steak going in conference tournament play and an undefeated conference slate along with a national rating of #14 and RPI of 25 has them clearly punched with a dance card.
Arkansas Litttle Rock has secured the regular season championship of the Sunbelt Conference. With a 7 game winning streak and a RPI of 20, this is another team that secured entrance in the Big Dance no matter what may happen in the conference tourney. Bubble teams everywhere are rooting for this team to win the conference tournament championship also.
Tennessee Tech has recently been crowned as Co-Champs of the Ohio Valley. Even riding into the conference tournament with a 10 game winning streak, they are still squarely on the bubble with a RPI of 46. A berth in the conference tournament final may be enough but this club must play to win the entire thing.
Western Illinois is a team that had a respectable 10-6 conference season and must win the conference tournament to gain entrance into a post-season tournament.
Davidson is currently riding an 8 game winning streak and has come a long way since the 0-10 non-conference record. This is another club that needs to have some tournament magic in order to have their post-season dreams come true.
At this point, I would also like to let you know that 7 teams have been confirmed for the Season 31 field and I am still looking for the final team. If anyone has a recommendation, please feel free to pass it my way. Once the entire field is set, I will release the names and do a similar set up that I have provided for this field.
We are getting closer to the first games being played in this classic and it looks to be a very good field. Miami FL, at this point, looks to be the favorite, but again anything can happen once you get several great teams and coaches together in one tournament-type setting.
Good luck one and all in your upcoming games!
Kevbo65
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