By Pete Quint
Watching the NCAA Men’s Basketball selection show yesterday I was convinced that the Buckeyes had done just enough to get into the field of 64. As the regions were announced and slots started to fill up I started to become nervous as doubt filled my head. “Surely the Buckeyes, with late wins over Purdue and Michigan State, had turned the heads of the selection committee,” I thought.
Three regions had been completed when reality set in. “It’s not going to happen,” I said to my overly exuberant Winthrop alumni friend. My hope was temporarily raised when Xavier was shown as a #3 seed. I thought for sure the committee had slotted a fun first round match-up with coach Matta and his former team. Nope, when Georgia was announced as Xavier’s opponent I knew for sure the Buckeyes had been left out.
No blame can be held over the selection committee’s heads nor should any Buckeye, fan, coach or player, feel slighted. Simple fact is that the Bucks just didn’t get it done in the regular season. With the departure of Greg Oden, Mike Connely and Daequan Cook, the Buckeye cupboard was left practically bare and Thad Matta had to start from scratch. While that sounds like an excuse, I mean it as a fact. Jamar Butler and the rest of the seniors could only do so much with a group of talented but green, incoming freshman. In retrospect, Coach Matta may have leaned a little too much on the potential of the incoming freshman in hopes of everyone coming together as a team.
While the NIT isn’t as ballyhooed as the NCAA Tournament, it’s still post season action. Ask Michigan fan how it feels to be out altogether. The tournament is actually quite competitive with teams like Dayton, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Arizona State and Illinois State all just missing the big dance. The road to the NIT final will not be easy for the Buckeyes but the experience will take the young players far. Post-season tournaments are completely different than regular seasons and this experience is extremely valuable for the Bucks.
Never fear. Thad Matta will have the Buckeyes back in the tournament next year but for now sit back and have fun with the NIT. If the Buckeyes do well, they could meet Florida in the NIT final and a victory over the Gators would be sweet.
*By the way, between the NCAA Tournament and the NIT, 96 teams will be playing in post season action. Michigan is not one of them. Maybe there’s still time to get into the Michigan State boy’s high school tournament…or girl’s.