So that is it for the season
- Thread starter hdhntr1
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i can totally understand that. Young players got great experience playing two games in the Big Ten tourney. Portal opens up next week and I want our coaches to be working on that and not some meaningless tourney that we are not going to win with this very thin group.
I agree, I feel like the team made great progress post injury all things considered. Every game it seems like the young guys were figuring it out. If they could have gotten a couple more games in I think it would have helped them to grow.
Maybe some of the guys didn't want to risk more injuries or CCC can tell they are done. It was a difficult end of the season even if I think they did a heroic job.
Selfishly, I want to see this group play again. I just love the effort and the fight.
It's disappointing for fans, but this team has been running a short bench all season and is probably beat up and tired. I always want to see these players on the court and wish for more opportunities for the young guys to get reps and practice, but sometimes they just need to shut it down and focus on recovery.
It was an up-and-down season, but they fought until the very end. This team never quit. It was a pleasure watching the seniors compete and contribute so much winning basketball for the Cats. They played a key role in ushering in and continuing this golden era of basketball for NU hoops, with two tournament appearances and some truly memorable moments. Go Cats!
It was an up-and-down season, but they fought until the very end. This team never quit. It was a pleasure watching the seniors compete and contribute so much winning basketball for the Cats. They played a key role in ushering in and continuing this golden era of basketball for NU hoops, with two tournament appearances and some truly memorable moments. Go Cats!
I get it. The No. 1 goal has to be securing an NIL deal with Martinelli. Then it’s putting a strong 25-26 team around him.
It is hard. Clayton and Windom and Mullins probably have gotten as much as they can out of this season and same with Martinelli. Do sort of understand it. Disappointed but understandable. Especially since more important for future success is bringing in a couple guys for next year and have to be pretty aggressive to get it done
Obviously we’re not behind the scenes to see what goes into this decision, but the thing that makes the most sense is there are multiple guys who were playing injured and they need to recover.
The portal opening on 3/24 probably has something to do with it too, whether that’s because we have guys moving out or they want to be totally on top of recruiting available guys as soon as possible (or both).
Guru on twitter (who does seem to be clued in) made it also sound like the team didn’t want to wait around for 3 weeks to play in the Crown. I’m not sure how that tournament is going to fill its slots given that every team is probably going to feel the same way about the long break before it starts.
The portal opening on 3/24 probably has something to do with it too, whether that’s because we have guys moving out or they want to be totally on top of recruiting available guys as soon as possible (or both).
Guru on twitter (who does seem to be clued in) made it also sound like the team didn’t want to wait around for 3 weeks to play in the Crown. I’m not sure how that tournament is going to fill its slots given that every team is probably going to feel the same way about the long break before it starts.
If I had to guess; this was a “team” decision with Matt and Ty heavily involved in the final choice.
Nor does it make sense to me, unless Collins wants to flex that NU is now among the basketball elites that can brag about turning down the NIT.
Or it might be that Collins would accept an invitation to play in the NIT, but due to contractual obligations between the Big Ten and Fox, he would have to play in the Crown instead, and he doesn't want to play in the Crown.
I don't know.
This is a good point. If the league said you’re playing in the Crown or you’re not playing in anything, he might have taken that to the team and they said they’d rather just end it here.
Which Collins has nothing to do with. That’s all through TrueNU.
This decision is arrogant and looks very bad to the rest of the league. I emailed Mark Jackson with my disappointment and I know others are too. I want to see Ty and Matt play again and I want to see K.J., Gelo and others get valuable experience. You can handle the portal too virtually. I’m hoping the team will reconsider prior to Sunday.
I'm not sure that going to the lesser tournaments enhances NU's reputation as a destination school players want to commit to. There is the chanced that you win it and can say, "We are the NIT Champion and have proved that we belong." But there may be a greater chance that you fail and prove you are not an elite program.
I don't now if that is in CCC's strategy but it could be.
I don't now if that is in CCC's strategy but it could be.
The NIT has still been considered a worthy tournament consisting of Power 5 programs and strong mid-majors battling it out. It's good experience for the younger players to compete against strong competition in an elimination format. Only the snobbiest of snobby programs have commonly turned down the NIT. NU does not have the pedigree that the NIT is "beneath" them.
Of course, with this new Crown tournament, it might be now that both the NIT and the Crown are seen as diluted. And I can think of reasons why teams would not want to compete in the Crown, and might resent that the opportunity to play in the NIT instead is being contractually denied them.
Collins said they are banged up and don’t have enough healthy bodies to practice for three weeks. Long season let them get ready for next year.
Could still wait to see what the NIT would offer the 'Cats, if they can let other teams fill the Crown slots. We know the NIT is guaranteeing 1 home game for P5 teams, but with a NET ranking in the 50s, the 'Cats might be seeded for 2 home games. Would they really want to turn down 2 home games?
I’m at peace with the decision. In Collins we trust.
Thank you seniors for everything.
Onward.
Thank you seniors for everything.
Onward.
This is a discussion board. Go somewhere else if you don't like discussions.
Emotional presser. Can really tell how much the staff and players care about each other. Makes it easy to see why they play so hard. It’s for each other.
Given Martinelli’s cryptic foot remarks a few weeks ago, maybe he is the one most banged up. Without him it seems unlikely we’d have a great showing for the program in either of the lesser tournaments. Pure conjecture, but at least makes some logical sense.
I'm going with at least a couple of guys are carrying injuries or are pretty worn out. If not, you would think one or more of love of the game, wanting to show out, team loyalty, young guys getting more play, would have them wanting to get out there a few more times. Healthy, this group is good enough to advance against a field of KenPom 50-pluses or worse.
I dunno why we could not play in the NIT or Crown but feature just our "up and comers". Let those who want to (or need to) rest and recuperate, do so. But let some of the kids and some of the walk-ons have the experience. Heck, even get the top 2 guys from intermural baskeball on there (I am sure campus knows who they are, they always did in my day).
If coach CCC is too busy let assistant coach Chris Lowery coach them. He has been a Head Coach before, he would know what to do.
I don't like this at all.
If coach CCC is too busy let assistant coach Chris Lowery coach them. He has been a Head Coach before, he would know what to do.
I don't like this at all.
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