Why are they having an NIT semi-final when the college basketball season

[tigereye]

has barely started?


Am I missing something?

[JonLP24]

1. They have all sorts of tournaments early in the season

That's one of them. West regional final was here in Tempe last week where Arizona State defeated TCU 52-48 and now have to play Duke tonight.

Think of Maui Invitational and the one in Cancun. In the end they just count as regular season wins or losses but it often matches up teams with quality opponents before conference play begins.

Go Sun Devils!!! Beat the Blue Devils!!! :woohoo:

[tigereye]

2. I just thought it was odd that it was the NIT.. so early

I just realized the other Arizona has Sean Miller as the coach - I remembered seeing him all the time when he coached at Xavier.



Really enjoyed seeing Brionne January play for your lady Sundevils last year.

[JonLP24]

3. The preseason NIT has been around since 1985

They actually call it Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off these days where the have small regional tournaments and the semi-finals and finals are played at Madison Square Garden.

The other NIT as you know is at the end of the season.

[JonLP24]

4. Duke 34, Arizona State 30 Halftime

Analysts weren't giving ASU a chance to win this game before the game already talking about Duke's matchup against UConn. They softened their tone a bit but they still say Duke win and they may do that. However the Sun Devils led most of this game but Duke finished the half with 6 points. I really, really hope they get the win. It will be HUGE at least for me.

Go Sun Devils!! :bounce:

[JonLP24]

5. #7 Duke 64, Arizona State 53

Arizona State played well first 30 minutes keeping it pretty much even. Then a stretch of 5-7 minutes they played incredibly sloppy and fell behind. They still had a chances but they started abusing the 3-point shot in the last 3 minutes and blew it.

Good job Duke, they play UConn Friday at 5:00pm ET Friday and Arizona State will play LSU 2:30 ET on ESPN 2.

:cry: Beating Duke would have been a HUGE but they will finish higher than 7th in the Pac 10 :eyes:

[tigereye]

6. Duke is really hard to beat, but knowing how much ASU hustles, their time

will come.

Betting the women could beat the Duke women...

[JonLP24]

7. I think so too

The women's team is usually always ranked. UConn and Tennessee are the best though not sure about this year. I seen Candace Parker's first ever regular season WNBA game against the Phoenix Mercury and it's one of the greatest pro debuts I ever seen. 34 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists and they were even giving her double and triple teams and they couldn't stop her.

[tigereye]

8. Tennessee hasn't looked so good this year- it's kind of hard to watch

I desperately want Pat Summit to re-attain her ascendancy and beat Gino, though, it was really hard to watch UConn demolish everyone else last year - it's almost as if they should be in another league, or something.


And then there's my Pitt Panthers- not bad the last few years.... :D