Well that's it...

[PBP]

WNIT bracket is out and they stiffed ISU. Based on Seton's comment on the coaches show this afternoon that they turned down the WBI this ends ISU's season at 21-11.

I don't know what more ISU can do to get into one of these things but obviously what they did this year still wasn't enough.

As of right now No. Colorado is going to the NCAA and Idaho to the WNIT as automatic qualifiers. We'll see if any other Big Sky teams go to the WBI.

Disappointing but one hell of a season and congrats to the players and coaches.

PBP

 

[otis campbell]

Pretty much sums up the outsiders view of the BSC. Sad.

 

[SLCBengal]

It looks like Weber State is heading to play Texas Southern in the WBI...

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TXSOTigers/status/973383307777003520[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TXSOTigers/status/973387847838437377[/tweet]

 

[PBP]

It looks like Weber State is heading to play Texas Southern in the WBI...

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TXSOTigers/status/973383307777003520[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TXSOTigers/status/973387847838437377[/tweet]

Big surprise.

Seton mentioned on the show today that part of the reason they turned down the WBI was because he thought they were going to match them up against another Big Sky team in the first round. It's happened before. My gut was telling me it would be Weber, naturally away from home. With Weber the only other team to get a bid it seemed that was the plan if ISU accepted.

If that was going to happen, on the road, without Dora, I can understand them saying no.

PBP

 

[Skippy]

I can see why teams turn down these third tier tournaments— you’re mentally and physically worn out by this time, the games don’t mean anything and for a lot of schools you’d be playing during spring break. I suppose there is some value to them if you have a young, emerging team that is just getting into a rhythm. But I don’t see much value to a veteran team like ISU, especially with Dora hurt.

As far as the NIT is concerned, losing those two back to back killers to EWU and MSU when it looked like the Bengals had the games won really hurt any shot. Win those two games and you finish higher in the conference with a better overall record and higher RPI. Doesn’t guarantee a WNIT bid, but certainly improves the odds.

PS—I will correct myself — if ISU had won those two games, they WOULD have gone to the WNIT because they would have tied Idaho for second and held the tiebreaker over the Vandals.

 

[SLCBengal]

I can see why teams turn down these third tier tournaments— you’re mentally and physically worn out by this time, the games don’t mean anything and for a lot of schools you’d be playing during spring break. I suppose there is some value to them if you have a young, emerging team that is just getting into a rhythm.

I agree -- this is a case where I think it would have been a benefit to the men's team had they secured a winning season.

I didn't know whether it was an option for ISU to participate in a pay-to-play tournament, so I'm glad it is should the opportunity present itself (and if it proves to be beneficial)...

 

[PBP]

I will say this as I was told recently by a coach. Some of the "value" in these lesser tournaments is, it is still a banner if you win it, it still gives an opportunity for more development for your team, especially younger players because it can give you as much as two weeks more to practice and it does help with recruiting to say, "we went to a tournament." Most kids today don't really know any tournament differences if they aren't the NCAA.

PBP

 

[PBP]

The Journal wraps up the women's outstanding season:

https://idahostatejournal.com/pocatello/isu-wbb-bengals-satisfied-with---title-less-season/article_ccc8832a-c4de-5a61-b12a-31709f664daf.html