JimBob
03-18-2008, 10:12 AM
OSU aims to build on NIT
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
3/18/2008
Sutton hopes success leads to NCAA selection next year.
Oklahoma State basketball coach Sean Sutton is trying to convince his players that a degree of NIT success could transform the next Selection Sunday into graduation day.
Last season, West Virginia and Clemson met in the NIT championship game. Both teams used NIT success to graduate to the "other" tournament. Clemson is a No. 5 seed and West Virginia is a No. 7 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament.
"Clearly, it gave both of those teams a lot of momentum coming into this year," said Sutton.
OSU stumbled in the first round of the NIT each of the past two seasons. Can the Cowboys finally make an NIT run? They play an ESPN2-televised first-round game Tuesday at Southern Illinois.
"The goal here is to be in the NCAA Tournament," Sutton said. "That's what we've got to get back to. But considering where we were six weeks ago and to still be one of the teams left playing says a lot about how this team has grown up."
OSU played its way into the NIT by winning seven of the past 10 games. Two of the defeats were dealt by Texas, a No. 2 NCAA Tournament seed, and the other was dealt by Oklahoma, a No. 6 NCAA Tournament seed.
Sutton said it was important to get invited to a postseason tournament because it allowed OSU to participate in postseason for an 11th consecutive year.
"Not many teams in college basketball have a longer streak," he said. "But I think the overall experience of playing in postseason will be good for these young guys and hopefully we can use it as a springboard into next year like a lot of teams have in the past."
Sutton said going to the NIT is "better than their alternative. A lot of teams are sitting around and their seasons are over with."
Sutton said his players were disappointed after a loss to Texas in the Big 12 Tournament because reality set in that they would not get to play in the NCAA Tournament.
"But the last couple of days I think they have grown more and more excited about the opportunity that is there to continue our season and continue what we have built on down the stretch," he said.
Southern Illinois slid to the NIT one year after reaching the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
"The biggest thing about the NIT is overcoming the feeling of, 'We didn't make the big one,' and not losing (players) because they are disappointed about they are not in the NCAA Tournament," SIU coach Chris Lowery said.
"You don't want them to feel like they are settling for something. This is a glamorous tournament. It used to be a higher profile than the NCAA. The reward is a trip to Madison Square Garden, the basketball Mecca of the world. That's a huge thing to play for."
Lowery said a few last-second losses kept his team from being in the NCAA Tournament and he told reporters during a Monday teleconference that the Salukis lacked the kind of leadership they had in past seasons. Barring a big surprise, they will be without their best leader against OSU. Point guard Bryan Mullins, the Missouri Valley Conference's defensive player of the year, has been ruled out because of a stress fracture.
Playing hurt, Mullins helped SIU win five consecutive games late in the season.
"But physically he was done," Lowery said. "It was to the point where he could barely walk. He quit practicing for a month. He was just playing in games the last month of the season."
Lowery said Mullins did all the ballhandling chores for SIU. The coach said a committee of players will have to step in for Mullins.
"Now we've got some adversity and hopefully the kids will rally around that and be happy about being in the NIT," Lowery said.
Sutton said older OSU players were not motivated to play a first-round NIT home game against Marist last season. Plus, he tried to convince his team that Marist was a quality opponent and they didn't buy what he was selling. Marist led by as many as 17 points.
"Our guys were flat and did not respect them as much as they should have, as much as we tried to talk about Marist," he said, adding that there was "instant respect" in the room Sunday when the Cowboys found out they would be playing Southern Illinois.
Said Sutton, "I think the mindset and attitude is totally different this year."
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
3/18/2008
Sutton hopes success leads to NCAA selection next year.
Oklahoma State basketball coach Sean Sutton is trying to convince his players that a degree of NIT success could transform the next Selection Sunday into graduation day.
Last season, West Virginia and Clemson met in the NIT championship game. Both teams used NIT success to graduate to the "other" tournament. Clemson is a No. 5 seed and West Virginia is a No. 7 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament.
"Clearly, it gave both of those teams a lot of momentum coming into this year," said Sutton.
OSU stumbled in the first round of the NIT each of the past two seasons. Can the Cowboys finally make an NIT run? They play an ESPN2-televised first-round game Tuesday at Southern Illinois.
"The goal here is to be in the NCAA Tournament," Sutton said. "That's what we've got to get back to. But considering where we were six weeks ago and to still be one of the teams left playing says a lot about how this team has grown up."
OSU played its way into the NIT by winning seven of the past 10 games. Two of the defeats were dealt by Texas, a No. 2 NCAA Tournament seed, and the other was dealt by Oklahoma, a No. 6 NCAA Tournament seed.
Sutton said it was important to get invited to a postseason tournament because it allowed OSU to participate in postseason for an 11th consecutive year.
"Not many teams in college basketball have a longer streak," he said. "But I think the overall experience of playing in postseason will be good for these young guys and hopefully we can use it as a springboard into next year like a lot of teams have in the past."
Sutton said going to the NIT is "better than their alternative. A lot of teams are sitting around and their seasons are over with."
Sutton said his players were disappointed after a loss to Texas in the Big 12 Tournament because reality set in that they would not get to play in the NCAA Tournament.
"But the last couple of days I think they have grown more and more excited about the opportunity that is there to continue our season and continue what we have built on down the stretch," he said.
Southern Illinois slid to the NIT one year after reaching the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
"The biggest thing about the NIT is overcoming the feeling of, 'We didn't make the big one,' and not losing (players) because they are disappointed about they are not in the NCAA Tournament," SIU coach Chris Lowery said.
"You don't want them to feel like they are settling for something. This is a glamorous tournament. It used to be a higher profile than the NCAA. The reward is a trip to Madison Square Garden, the basketball Mecca of the world. That's a huge thing to play for."
Lowery said a few last-second losses kept his team from being in the NCAA Tournament and he told reporters during a Monday teleconference that the Salukis lacked the kind of leadership they had in past seasons. Barring a big surprise, they will be without their best leader against OSU. Point guard Bryan Mullins, the Missouri Valley Conference's defensive player of the year, has been ruled out because of a stress fracture.
Playing hurt, Mullins helped SIU win five consecutive games late in the season.
"But physically he was done," Lowery said. "It was to the point where he could barely walk. He quit practicing for a month. He was just playing in games the last month of the season."
Lowery said Mullins did all the ballhandling chores for SIU. The coach said a committee of players will have to step in for Mullins.
"Now we've got some adversity and hopefully the kids will rally around that and be happy about being in the NIT," Lowery said.
Sutton said older OSU players were not motivated to play a first-round NIT home game against Marist last season. Plus, he tried to convince his team that Marist was a quality opponent and they didn't buy what he was selling. Marist led by as many as 17 points.
"Our guys were flat and did not respect them as much as they should have, as much as we tried to talk about Marist," he said, adding that there was "instant respect" in the room Sunday when the Cowboys found out they would be playing Southern Illinois.
Said Sutton, "I think the mindset and attitude is totally different this year."