Just received a report from Rambler fan Jeff Mulac that there is a new post-season tournament called the "Vegas 16".

Link:
http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/nov/17 ... tball-tou/

I predict Loyola will be in this tournament.

Ugh.

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Cigarboy sucks!

I could see this attracting better teams than the CBI/CIT.

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Why do I predict this tourney?

Well I do think we have a good team; however barring a MVC Tourney championship (which could happen), I think our next best shot at a post-season tourney is a tourney below the NIT. I just feel as stated before the NIT is very tough too get into especially with the new selection procedures implemented a few years ago.

This tourney would present something different and potentially better than the CBI. It also may not cost as much money. I can't see Loyola shelling out for multiple home games this coming March in a "C" tourney. So do you try to repeat as CBI champs playing more road games? If you lose in the CBI; it seems like a step back. There is not much to gain and a lot to lose by participating in the CBI this spring. To take the CIT is possible, but that is the lowest tourney I think. To accept a "Vegas 16" bid seems to make the most sense if you don't get in the NCAA or NIT, which is a long shot (although we do have a team that could get hot in Arch Madness and pull an upset).

Hence the Vegas 16. It maybe close to the NIT, cost less money than a "C" tourney with less risk of a "step backwards" even if you lose in the first round.

Also the Vegas 16, provides a lot more guaranteed practice time! The tourney does not start until later in March whereas the CBI/CIT starts the week after Selection Sunday. The delayed start of the Vegas 16 must be so that fans can plan a trip to Vegas with some notice. This also is a huge plus for coaches looking to develop players and have more practice time. In the CBI/CIT, if you lose the first round; you only get a few practices. If you lose in the first round of the Vegas 16, you get a lot of practices b/c the tourney starts so much later.

Our post-season chances:
1. Vegas 16: 40%
2. NCAA: 20% (with 96% of the 20% being an automatic, 4% of the 20% being an at-large)
3. CBI/CIT: 15%
4. Decline CBI/CIT: 12%
5. NIT: 8%
6. No post-season invites: 5%

On a related note; can all of these post-season tournaments survive?
NCAA: 68
NIT: 32
CBI: 16
CIT: 32
Vegas 16: 16
total: 164
total D1 teams:351

So 46% of the teams make a post-season tournament?! Way too many and diminishes being invited to a "post season" tournament. Finally, some teams turn down the CBI/CIT; so it may be close to 50% of all programs having the chance to play post-season basketball!

As much as I would enjoy another trip to Vegas, this is too big of a season for the program for us to settle for another consolation tourney. It's really important to continue to, as Porter would say, keep the arrow going up after last year's success, and it's especially important if Doyle graduates this spring. I don't think we're good enough for an NCAA at-large and who knows what happens in St. Louis. That said, this is a team that returns just about everyone from a 13-loss team last year and how many of those losses came without Doyle? I don't think it's crazy to say that short of the NIT is a disappointment.