Maryland plays Minn. 1st round of NIT

[erb8472]

NIT bracket just came out and MD is a 5 seed playing Minn.

Game is Tuesday on ESPN.

[BaltBird 24]

Hasn't Minnesota been playing good ball of late? Knocked off Indiana in the Big Ten tourney. Atleast losing to them, if infact we do lose to them, won't be quite as embarassing as when we lost to Manhattan a couple years back.

[Dr. FLK]

I thought Minn might sneak into the big dance with their nice finish. This should at least be an entertaining game.

[clapdiddy]

Wow...one and done in the NIT! How fitting!

I would LOVE to see MD go on a nice run and maybe get to the NIT Final Four, but it isn't going to happen. Wouldn't shock me to see them get embarrassed on national TV.

[gallden]

So lets say they won the NIT would that make them the 65th best team in the country?

[Sports Guy]

Wow...one and done in the NIT! How fitting!

I would LOVE to see MD go on a nice run and maybe get to the NIT Final Four, but it isn't going to happen. Wouldn't shock me to see them get embarrassed on national TV.

I think they will be one and done as well.

However, i think this is important for the Terps...They are a young team and the more they can play against good competition and play together, the more it benefits them.

They need to go into this wanting to win it all...A few years ago, they got bounced early(manhattan??) and I don't think they wanted to be there.

[BaltBird 24]

I don't think they wanted to be there.

Does anyone really want to be at the NIT?

[Sports Guy]

Does anyone really want to be at the NIT?

Teams that had no shot of making the tourney should want to be there.

Gives them a chance to play together some more...And hell, if you win the damn thing, it is at least something.

The NIT used to be the tourney.

[Burg]

Teams that had no shot of making the tourney should want to be there.

Gives them a chance to play together some more...And hell, if you win the damn thing, it is at least something.

The NIT used to be the tourney.

One other thing is that 3 of the 4 NIT Final Four teams last year made the big dance this year.

I think its a good experience for any team because its more practice and games. Of course, the goal is the NCAAT but if you don't make it, then the NIT is better than nothing.

I'm disappointed that VT didn't make the big dance but I think an NIT run will do wonders for our young team.

[Sports Guy]

One other thing is that 3 of the 4 NIT Final Four teams last year made the big dance this year.

I think its a good experience for any team because its more practice and games. Of course, the goal is the NCAAT but if you don't make it, then the NIT is better than nothing.

I'm disappointed that VT didn't make the big dance but I think an NIT run will do wonders for our young team.

Absolutely....In some ways, it may be better than the NCAAs.

I say that because they are more likely to have a deeper run in the NIT than in the NCAA in all likelihood.

Obviously the prestige isn't there but a team like VaTech needs games together and this may be the best way for them to accomplish that.

[Burg]

Absolutely....In some ways, it may be better than the NCAAs.

I say that because they are more likely to have a deeper run in the NIT than in the NCAA in all likelihood.

Obviously the prestige isn't there but a team like VaTech needs games together and this may be the best way for them to accomplish that.

I think that we'll make it to MSG if we can get by VCU. I think that VT/VCU will be a good game.

One things for sure, there are a lot of high profile teams in the NIT. MD, UF, OSU, ASU, etc. Should be a fun tourney to watch.

[Oriole4Life]

I am glad they are in this and will be cheering them on. As some of the posters above have mentioned, this is a good thing for a young team. I don't understand how some people wanted Gary Williams to reject a NIT bid. Why? To retain a sense of false pride? To pretend like it doesn't mean anything, or that only the NCAA is acceptable? No, you go play and try to win it. It is a valuable experience. Of course the NCAA is the goal, but if you don't make it you don't make it, and try to achieve otherwise.

I think we can beat Minnesota and then Syracuse. I don't know who might be after that(I saw the brackers earlier but forget), but you never know. I am not expecting big things but just hope we play hard.

[BaltimoreTerp]

http://sportsline.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/brackets/viewable_nit

Get your brackets ready!

[DuffMan]

http://sportsline.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/brackets/viewable_nit

Get your brackets ready!

Go Morgan State!

[inmn]

Yawn....the only interesting things in this matchup are that Tubby Smith dreamed of going to Md and would have had they not rescinded their offer (I think he would jump at an offer to coach there) and that Md did not get a home game.