Illinois Basketball: Illini slotted as a 2-seed in the NIT

The Tigers earned a No. 2 seed into the second-tier postseason tournament Sunday night, set to host No. 7 Oakland in Clemson on Tuesday night. The victor will play the Georgia-Belmont victor in the second game, setting up a potential rematch between the Yellow Jackets and the Bulldogs.

IN said it will not host an opening-round game because students are on break. The Tigers were the highest rated RPI team to not make the NCAA tournament’s field of 68.

Georgia last reached the NCAA tournament in 2015.

“We’re in a real scramble”, Kampe said, not just talking about tracking down game film, but also travel plans, as Oakland will leave Monday for its 8 p.m. Tuesday game in SC. Overall, just doing some surface level research on BSU, they seem to be competitive, but a team Utah should beat if they play smart basketball.

Ole Miss’ NCAA Tournament hopes were dashed with a 73-72 loss to Arkansas in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament Friday night. The Redbirds won one game against a top-50 team (Wichita State) and two against the top 100 (Wichita State and New Mexico).

The Broncos are the No. 6 seed in the Illinois State quadrant and will travel to Salt Lake City to play the No. 3-seeded Utes (20-11). The Anteaters won the Big West regular-season title with a 12-4 record.

IN enters the NIT having won three of its past five games including a 95-73 victory over Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament. IN started the season very strong with wins against North Carolina and Kansas.

Left out of the NCAA tournament field after not coming up with enough wins against the best teams on its schedule, Georgia will head to the NIT for the third time in the last four seasons. The 32 teams are split into four groups of eight and seeded No. 1 through No. 8. In 2014 the 17-15 IU club didn’t receive an invitation to the NIT and declined an invitation to the College Basketball Invitational. The Hoosiers knew their tournament fate was held only to the Big Ten Tournament this weekend.

After being ranked No. 3 in the nation at one point, the Hoosiers slipped and could never become the team they once were to begin the season.

Iowa’s four-game win streak to end the regular season got the Hawkeyes into the NCAA tournament conversation, because prior to that Fran McCaffery’s team really wasn’t on the radar.

“I think it’s a privilege to play in such a prestigious tournament like this”, Kampe said. “But we’re at the point now we just met and most people in that room are ready to roll in the NIT”.