For IU, NIT Means Not Interested, Thanks
By Les Morris
My new favorite sports term is “Roster Construction.” It used to be “Load Management,” but there is a new leader in the clubhouse.
In the NIL/transfer portal era, “Roster Construction” has taken on an unprecedented currency - as if it didn’t exist before July 1, 2021.
Such were the justifications when Indiana University’s men’s basketball team made it known, in the aftermath of a .500 record in conference play, that they would not deign to play in the NIT tournament. This is a team that didn’t win 20 games and regressed from last season’s 23-win total.
In short, this is a team that needs more game action, not less, and can use all the practice time it can handle.
It's been a long, long time since the Hoosiers were relevant in college basketball. Their last national championship was in 1987 when the Big Ten really had 10 schools!
I’m struggling to come up with reasons why playing a home game or two in Bloomington is not a welcome opportunity. Additionally, the NIT semi-finals and finals will be held in Indianapolis at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse. If in-state recruiting is so important, certainly these locales would be a positive.
By my count 10 schools participated in last year’s NIT tournament and went on to advance to the NCAA version this season. That’s a pretty good batting average.
Of course there are exceptions. North Carolina declined an NIT bid last year and is a #1 seed in the NCAA’s this week. And IU certainly wasn’t alone in foregoing the NIT – six other schools including the likes of Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse said they couldn’t be bothered.
I’m fully confident that IU coach Mike Woodson and his staff can handle the transfer portal and playing some additional games at the same time. But let’s take the “Roster Construction” bat out of his hands, to mix metaphors.
The NCAA can do this by seriously considering adjusting the window for the Division I basketball transfer portal for both men and women. This year it started on March 18, the day after the college season ended, and will finish on May 1.
If we’re going to treat big-time college athletes like professionals and give them unfettered freedom of movement, which I think is a good thing and puts them on equal footing with normal college students, let’s take a lesson from Major League Baseball.
MLB wisely opens its free agency window the day after the World Series concludes. This makes perfect sense. Let your marquee events breathe without the noise of free agency.
The transfer portal should open the day after the NCAA and NIT tournaments conclude.
As it is now, we’re in a situation where even coaching staffs of teams that have made the tournament need to monitor the transfer portal as well – while prepping for their biggest game of the year.
We’re definitely in the “Roster Construction” era - but let’s not be so anxious to get there.
