March Madness and the NIT Thread

[Sir Harry]

Earlier today, the NCAA released it's 68 teams for this year's tournament. Sadly, last year's champion, Kentucky, was left out due to key injuries and/or losses to "weak" teams. Oddly enough over 100 teams won 20 or more games, but I think the committee got it right (mostly). Who do you like to take it all this year? Did your team make either tournament? Feel free to add comments as we go along. I'm going to make a bold prediction and say that the team that wins it all next month, that their coach will be a bald man (not necessarily sly) Thoughts?

[Mikekoz13]

I'm a Maryland fan. They are a number 2 seed in the NIT.

They're very young and played without a true point guard all year. They played their best ball of the year in the conference tournament. The experience of the NIT will do this young team well.

[tomgallagher]

Of the 3 Philly teams that made it, Villanova, Temple and LaSalle, I guess I'll go with 'Nova.

[RoWilJr]

Hmmmm... 'Nova going against them Baby Blue Heels...That should be a good game. Anyways, the Tourney bracket looks pretty good... Selection was fair for the most part. Not seeing Kentucky in is ODD, but, as SH stated, key injuries/losses can break a squad.
Come Thursday we'll see how it all shakes out...
BTW, I'm going with that OTHER team from Kentucky

[Sir Harry]

Wow....Kentucky ousted by Robert Morris (who?) in the first round of the NIT.....I am not a Kentucky fan, nor do I hate them, but I must say that Coach Calipari was classy in defeat. However, part of me wonders if that Kentucky was so disappointed in not making the NCAA's that they gave a half-hearted effort in the NIT. Another part of me wonders would they have been better off declining the NIT invite and calling it a year given that their best player was out. That NC A&T-Liberty game was pretty exciting; your heart breaks for the loser in these kinds of games....Looking forward to Thursday when it's showtime for real. Did you guys play any brackets, and if so, whom did you pick to win it all?