The Road to the NIT

[zebnatto]

When you're applying for a job, or a promotion, or tenure, multiple factors are taken into consideration. Let's say the number of factors is six. Maybe the committee has a bias against one of the candidates (race, age, gender: too many whites, too many older folks, too many men). In looking at the considered factors, the selection committee can, consciously or unconsciously, over-value the one factor in which that biased-against candidate is weakest.

In the case of Rutgers and the NCAA Tournament, there were many of these factors: early season, late season, Q3 losses, W over Purdue at Purdue, screw job at OSU, loss of Mag, late season swoon, sweep of PSU, solid B1G Tourney. Similar up and down resume for any Bubble Team. That's why they're on the buddle.

So what is the bias (preconceived intention) with which the Selection Committe entered their decision making. In my opinion, the Committe simply, after underwhelming recent performances, did not want to invite (a bit stronger: had no intention of inviting) nine B1G teams. We were that team and in searching through the many factors to consider, again, quite possibly unspoken or even unconscious, they were looking for reasons to exclude RU (B1G #9) and found enough.

 

[bac2therac]

do not think for one minute the committee doesnt listen to outside noise..lots of RU was terrible without Mag chatter and should not be in the tourney. They do look at the matrix as well

 

[zebnatto]

do not think for one minute the committee doesnt listen to outside noise..lots of RU was terrible without Mag chatter and should not be in the tourney. They do look at the matrix as well

My theory is that there was a distaste for 9 B1G teams in. We were the 9th. Therefore, use these last seven games as our explanation. There was, in other words, a search for a reason to keep us out—an over emphasis on our weak point.

No proof, but seems reasonable as a theory. Imagine that the committee was hoping for one more team from our conference.

 

[MiloTalon13]

My theory is that there was a distaste for 9 B1G teams in. We were the 9th. Therefore, use these last seven games as our explanation. There was, in other words, a search for a reason to keep us out—an over emphasis on our weak point.

No proof, but seems reasonable as a theory. Imagine that the committee was hoping for one more team from our conference.

That makes a lot of sense to me. I think it will get worse with UCLA and USC, they're not going to want 10+ teams from one conference and if B1G goes to 22 game conference schedule, it will make more potential losses for the selection committee to dwell on with near bubble teams from the B1G.