HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2691
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
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10-22-19 12:13 PM - Post#288905
In response to PennFan10
Encapsulates how I've felt about the Ivy Tournament. Apparently the snub of Yale in 2015 by both the NCAA and the NIT was a major impetus for the Ivy Tournament. That way, a regular season champ is guaranteed a spot in the NIT if it loses the Ivy Tournament.
The concept of 2BidIvy appears to be a corollary. Unfortunately, the likelihood of two Ivy squads being among the top 35 (or so) teams in the country is extremely unlikely. Thus, the Tournament does increase the chances of 2BidIvy in that it opens the door for a uniquely qualified squad that loses in the Ivy Tournament to be on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. As PennFan10 points out, that tournament loss can't come to a decidedly weaker team or the potential at large squad's ranking might have been harmed enough to fatally damage the candidate's resume.
Thus, I agree with PennFan10. Not intending any disrespect to any 2020 Ivy squad, here's what I see:
1. it is likely that only Harvard has a shot to be a top 35 squad;
2. the Ivy slate will likely negatively impact a team's SOS so that the 14-0 record (15-0 actually) is necessary;
3. the loss in the Tournament Final must come to a respectably accomplished squad, and Penn may be the only prospect this year; and
4. Harvard must not have any bad losses OOC (the presumed 2 OOC losses in PennFan's scenario). This could be overcome by a win over a top 10 or 20 program over Thanksgiving (Maryland, Marquette).
Even then, the anti Mid-major bias - and, in particular, a likely anti Ivy bias - may be too much to overcome.
This is a major reason why I see the Tournament as a negative. Harvard could go 13-2 OOC, 14-0 in Ivy regular season play, lose in the final, and not make the NCAA's. Hoping that doesn't happen, but all that the Yale backlash now guarantees is a spot in the NIT for this hypothetical 27-2 2020 squad. The stars would have to align in an incredible way for 2BidIvy.
So, in responding to Yale's 2015 snub, I fear the unintended consequence more than I appreciate the guarantee of an NIT bid.
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