Indiana State Keeps Proving the Selection Committee Wrong
Indiana State was snubbed by the NCAA tournament selection committee this year, in a decision that left many shaking their heads. For their part, the Sycamores keep proving they were deserving of a spot in the field.
The final four teams to earn bids into the 2024 tournament were Boise State, Colorado, Virginia and Colorado State. None of them escaped the first weekend. Virginia was embarrassed in the First Four by Colorado State, while Colorado topped Boise State then beat Florida in a 102-100 thriller in the First Round. It was a nice story, but the Buffaloes were ousted by Marquette in the Second Round. Meanwhile, Indiana State is still playing.
The Sycamores entered Selection Sunday with a 28-6 record and a Missouri Valley Conference regular season title. Four of their losses came against teams that ended up in the tournament. They even finished No. 29 in the NCAA's precious NET rankings. That's the highest ever for a team left out of the tournament.
If all of that wasn't enough, Indiana State is a really enjoyable team to watch. The Sycamores average 84.6 points per game, are in the top 20 in offensive efficiency, rank first in effective field goal percentage (59.7) and 38th in tempo. They play fast, score a lot and shoot it well. They're exactly the kind of small conference team that's fun to watch in the Big Dance. That wasn't enough for the committee, who selected a number of teams of questionable merit above Indiana State.
Unlike some of the other teams left out, the Sycamores accepted an invite to the NIT and were given a top seed. They have taken advantage, ripping off three wins to reach the semifinals. Indiana State beat SMU 101-92, topped Minnesota 76-64 and, on Tuesday night, won a hard-fought 85-81 battle with Cincinnati. Star big man Robbie Avila, who has gone viral for his size and signature goggles, scored 22 points against the Bearcats while adding six assists, five rebounds and two steals. He even knocked down a big three-pointer to give Indiana State the lead late.
The selection committee got it wrong. Indiana State would have been a prime candidate for a Cinderella run in the tournament and deserved the chance to prove it. Instead, Avila and his team are on the outside looking in. It isn't fair.
The upside for the Sycamores is that the semifinals and finals of the NIT are at Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. That's about a 90-minute drive from campus, meaning their fans can pack the historic arena. That's not a bad consolation prize.
Ryan Phillips is a senior writer at The Big Lead.
