Let's go back in this discussion a little.... What does a CIT bid get you?

1. For us, it removes a huge stumbling block of not being in a post-season tournament of any kind for 30 years.
2. It gives your current kids and coaches experience playing in postseason, even if it is a lesser tournament than desired.
3. It extends the final season for your seniors (Christian Thomas and Joe Crisman), who gave a lot to see this program through lean and difficult seasons-- including a terrible year in 2011-12, a season without Butler in the HL (not what they signed up for), and a tough first year in the MVC.
4. It is a huge positive for fans, and a good way to build your fan base for the future-- which we need desperately.
5. It is a great plus for your student fans, to create a better connection to Loyola sports and elevate athletics in the mindset of students.

Most of these things are difficult to monetize. But so many schools have used the C-tournaments as a springboard to build a foundation for success (Wichita State-- CBI in 2009, Harvard-- CIT in 2010, Valpo and Northern Iowa-- CIT in 2011, with each of these schools reaching the NIT in following the following year, and the NCAA the year or two after that). And once in the NCAA or NIT tournament, the returning players have the experience to handle tournament play and win a game or two.

It would be one thing if tournament appearances were a common thing for us; Northern Iowa had a disappointing season last year and deliberately took themselves out of the running for a C-tournament bid even before Arch Madness. But we really need a building block like this to put the 30 year drought behind us, and lay a cornerstone for next season and beyond.

JCT - I think all of your reasons are spot on. I'd love to see us play in the CIT and I was actually planning on making a donation if we accepted an invite. Unfortunately, my stock portfolio took a hit these last three days so I guess the donation will have to be a bit less than I anticipated. : /

Great points, John. I also think it's a huge plus with recruiting. Helps send the message that LU is on the rise. Bottom line, if we're fortunate enough to close out strong and get an invite, we have to pony up and make it happen.

How about a CIT game with Northwestern? Northwestern record is 14-14. It would draw a crowd and get media attention.

Couldn't happen. The CIT does not allow Power 5/BCS conferences to play. The CBI does but not the CIT.

There are going to be a lot of MAC teams in the CBI/CIT. Akron, Toledo, Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Kent State, and Buffalo all have a shot at either tournament if they don't win the tournament or get the NIT bid. Belmont, Cleveland State, Sam Houston State, and North Dakota State are also possibilities if they don't win their tournaments. Regular season conference champs get auto NIT bids.

Really hoping LU can get a bid into the CIT. I said before I thought 17-13 would be enough, and I still believe (hope) that's the case. RPI is respectable at 118. As for the eye test, I think we pass. They know we just got Doyle back and he makes an obvious impact, helping us destroy Indiana St.

I think, assuming UNI wins today, that IL St will be in the NIT. 20 wins with RPI of 68. The Valley should get two teams into the CIT. Evansville will likely make it. Before Friday, I think In St could have gotten nod over us because of strong conf record, but that changed with LU's best game of the year.

So as we watch conference tourneys around the country, hope for no upsets in the power conferences.

Belmont won the OVC in a great game last night, so they're in the big dance. As John mentioned they would have likely been CIT bound. Murray St should get into the dance but may go to the NIT. In this case, the upset might actually help us because the CIT only takes mid-major schools, so that's one less team that we have to worry about taking a bid. More likely its a wash, a mid-major will now miss the NIT and go to the CIT instead.

In '06-'07, we finished with a D1 record of 19-11 and an RPI right around 100. Since the Horizon has an early conf tourney like the MVC, we had to wait a week to learn if we got to keep playing. Practiced that whole week before realizing there were enough upsets that would keep us from an NIT bid. That was brutal, having to keep going to practice and then not getting in. LU will do the same this week but I am more optimistic that we'll get into the CIT this time around.

Which is the "better" tournament CBI or CIT?

Paul

Congrats for your win over our stumbling Sycamores. They started the season poorly, played up & down all season long and ended poorly. Like Cub fans..........."wait till next year". Although barring serious injuries next year has arrived for the Cubs.

For what its worth I understand the CIT is for mid-major teams only and it costs (last year) $36,000 to host a game & each successive game is another $36,000 ante. It does not require even a .500 record but I hope the powers that be do not even attempt to get our Sycamores in the field. They are toast, need to go home and lick their wounds and "Remember the Alamo" next season. They can be pretty good then as they only lose the two big white stiffs from this year's team. Sometimes addition by subtraction is a good thing.

The CBI is primarily for .500 record 8-10 place in their league BCS teams but does include a few mid-major teams. The key word here is "few". Also $36,000 for a first round home game, but goes up to $50,000 in 2nd round & $75,000 next round, etc.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the kind words, Sycamore Fan.

Some programs turn their nose up or refuse CIT/CBI bids on financial or other grounds. UNI did it last year before the conference tournament (I think as a motivator-- they only had one senior I believe), So not every eligible or likely CIT/CBI team will be there. I think the fields of each tournament vary from year to year-- sometimes the CIT is stronger, sometimes the CBI. The CBI field usually has a few stronger confererence teams, sometimes even teams that are at or below .500. That may be where Northwestern goes, and they would be a likely matchup.