After masses of Big Ten struggles, Husker basketball is happy to be playing in the NIT

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There was presupposed to be an eye birthday party in Lincoln. It might’ve been a casual one, the sort groups who realize they’re in have. There’d be a CBS camera at the team sitting in couches in the gamers lounge and a behind schedule reaction on stay TV while announced as a four seed or 5 seed. Tim Miles might talk to the media approximately the matchup and the street to a Sweet 16. Nebraska could start getting ready for its second NCAA event in six years. Instead, there has been not anything in Lincoln on Sunday. No event. No live broadcast. No press conference. Just a quick declaration after the statement that Nebraska universal a four seed within the NIT. They’ll play 5th-seeded Butler at 8 p.M. In the first round Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The winner faces either No. 1 seed TCU or No. 8 Sam Houston State in the 2d spherical. “We are excited to have our season keep, especially for our seniors who desired to return to postseason play,” Miles stated in a assertion. “We had our proportion of struggles at instances. However, I assume the manner we’ve got performed over the final two weeks of the season is a testament to our gamers and the individual they’ve. “I trust that our performance on the Big Ten match is a great momentum improve heading into the postseason and showed a group that desired to preserve gambling.

After masses of Big Ten struggles, Husker basketball is happy to be playing in the NIT 1

” If both Creighton, a two seed inside the same area, and Nebraska win twice, they would play every different on the CHI Health Center inside the quarterfinals. The statement is a bittersweet moment in a season with peaks and valleys. The invitation recognizes the Huskers’ work within the final 10 days to save its season from ending and from Athletic Director Bill Moos creating a very last decision on Miles’ destiny with the program. But the NIT bid also recognizes that Nebraska — set on making the NCAA event this year — did not attain the bar it set for itself. Nebraska has become ranked better in maximum metrics the NCAA match committee combs through than a season in the past, no matter a worse document. NU finished thirty-ninth in the Ken Pomeroy rankings and 48th in the NCAA’s new NET Rankings. NU had a 10-16 record in Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2 games. But the 15 regular-season losses would be the most for an at-massive crew within the NCAA match. Nebraska’s event hopes took a sharp flip after starting eleven-2. Seven immediate losses from Jan. 17 to Feb. Nine derailed the season.

To that extend, Nebraska lost starter Isaac Copeland for the yr with knee damage. This is the sixth time in seven seasons under Miles that Nebraska hasn’t made the NCAA match. NU turned into a 5 seed within the NIT ultimate season after going 22-eleven. The Huskers were misplaced at Mississippi State inside the first round. “Obviously, we wanted to be inside the NCAA; however, the closing aim coming here this week was to move to get into any postseason play,” junior Isaiah Roby stated in Chicago the remaining week. Nebraska has been to the NIT 17 times because of 1966. It made it beyond the first spherical eleven instances and received the match in 1996. The application has no longer made the second weekend of the NIT because 1997. Less than two weeks in the past, it seemed Nebraska’s season could be over after the Big Ten match. But a come-from-behind win against Iowa inside the domestic finale gave NU’s postseason hopes new life. With eight eligible gamers, Nebraska beat Rutgers and No. 21 Maryland in Chicago to solidify itself for an NIT bid.

A sixty six-62 loss to Wisconsin bumped NU out of the match, leaving the Huskers with an 18-16 record. After the loss, Moos launched a announcement announcing he’d wait to see if Nebraska made a postseason event to assess Miles’ task fame. With the invitation to the NIT, Miles is anticipated to educate Nebraska till its season is over. “We have been tested against a schedule this is in the pinnacle five nationally in Kenpom, inclusive of 25 games against the top two quadrants within the NET,” Miles’ declaration study. “We are looking ahead to the postseason undertaking.” After being snubbed through the NCAA tournament a season in the past, Nebraska failed to expose any combat in a sixty six-59 loss at Mississippi State within the first round of the NIT. Senior Glynn Watson said in Chicago, with Miles’ process within the balance, the Huskers nonetheless have lots to combat for. “I‘m always happy to play, and if it gotta be inside the NIT, I’ll be prepared to play,” Watson said. “I’m pretty certain all of us else have to be prepared to play regardless of what else goes on. We’re gonna pop out and combat regardless of what.”

Notes from Selection Sunday: » Nebraska assistant Michael Lewis left Butler for a task at Nebraska. Butler’s athletic director is former Nebraska coach Barry Collier. » The Bulldogs are 16-sixteen at the season. They misplaced 5 of their last six video games, their simplest win over Xavier on March five. They lost back-to-lower back games to Providence to quit the season and inside the first spherical of the Big East event. » The Big Ten got eight teams within the NCAA match, the most of any convention. Michigan and Michigan State each received two seeds. Despite winning the Big Ten event, the Spartans are matched up within the identical location as No. 1 overall seed Duke. Also, in that vicinity, Minnesota is a 10 seed, and Maryland is a six seed. Minnesota and Michigan State may want to meet up within the second round in Des Moines.

In the South vicinity, Purdue is 3 seeds, Wisconsin five seeds, and Iowa ten seeds. Wisconsin will play Oregon inside the first round. Ohio State is the lowest-seeded Big Ten group at 11. One of the primary groups that disregarded the tournament changed into Indiana, 17-15. » Nebraska finished forty-eighth in the NCAA’s new NET ratings. Teams lower than that were at-huge bids: Ohio State (55), Temple (56), Seton Hall (57), Minnesota (sixty-one), Arizona State (sixty-three), and St. John’s (seventy-three). » Nebraska became 4-thirteen towards groups that made the NCAA match. NU’s wins came towards Maryland, Seton Hall, Minnesota, and Iowa. » Former Nebraska assistant Craig Smith and Utah State were decided on as an eight seed. The Aggies won the Mountain West in Smith’s first season. » Nebraska defends James Palmer become named to the Big Ten all-tournament team Sunday. Palmer averaged 24.3 points in Nebraska’s three video games. He scored 34 within the starting spherical game in opposition to Rutgers, which became one factor shy of a Big Ten match report.