Raise your hand if you knew there was going to be a third NCAA Division 1 post-season tournament this year. Some information about it http://www.gazellegroup.com/cbi/about.htm <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Sixteen teams will compete in this new postseason event, hosted at on-campus arenas throughout the country. The CBI will provide a meaningful opportunity for teams that are deserving of a postseason experience. The College Basketball Invitational will be a single-elimination tournament, up until the Championship Series, with all games being played at campus sites. The Championship Series will be a best of three series, home-away-home, in which the higher seed will get the first and last (if necessary) home games. * The event will feature eight first-round games, four second-round games, a semifinal round and then a Championship Series * The opening round of the event will take place March 18 and 19 * The winner of each opening round game will advance to the round of eight on March 24 * The semifinals will be held on March 26 * The Championship Series will take place on March 31, April 2 and April 4. Bracketing will be done geographically into four regions of the country (East, West, South, Midwest) to minimize missed class time. Brackets will be balanced competitively within each region. The process will take place after the NCAA Tournament field is announced. The 16-team field will consist of teams that are not selected for the NCAA Tournament. Teams will be invited based upon their performance during their conference and non-conference schedule, as well as how well the team is playing at the end of the regular season.</div> http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7922582...6-for-first-CBI <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The tournament is single elimination at campus sites through the semifinals, where the teams will be re-seeded. The championship series will be a best-of-three affair with the higher seed playing at home in the first game and, if necessary, the third. With the exception of the championship series, every round of the tournament will go head-to-head against NIT games. At least 11 CBI games will be televised by Fox College Sports, and organizers hope the remaining games will be picked up by local affiliates.</div> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The tournament is staged by the Gazelle Group, which runs several early season tournaments. But while spots in those events are coveted for their exposure and the upper echelon of programs they often attract, organizers found it challenging to fill out a third postseason tournament. At least a handful of teams declined to participate, said Gazelle Group president Rick Giles, who had hoped to dangle enough incentives in front of teams like Ohio State and Florida to populate his bracket. "We were surprised that a few teams had given us indications that they wanted to play and wanted to continue playing even if they didn't make the NIT, and when they didn't make the NIT for whatever reason changed their minds," he said. Giles thinks some schools were pressured by the NCAA to play in the NIT, which it has owned since 2005 as part of a settlement that ended a 4-year legal fight between the parties. "We're pleased with the field we have," Giles said. "We offer a choice, an option, and everybody makes a certain choice. The NCAA puts tremendous pressure on its schools to pick the NIT versus the CBI, so we're not sure they were able to make a free choice this year."</div>
A bracket in PDF http://www.gazellegroup.com/cbi/cbi_bracket08.pdf The teams Tuesday, March 18 Richmond at Virginia - 7 p.m. Rider at Old Dominion - 7 p.m. Brown at Ohio - 7 p.m. Houston at Nevada - 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 19 Cincinnati at Bradley - 7 p.m. Miami (Ohio) at Tulsa - 8 p.m. Valparaiso at Washington - 9 p.m. Utah at UTEP - 9 p.m. Monday, March 24 Quarterfinals - 7 p.m. Quarterfinals - 9 p.m. Quarterfinals - TBA Quarterfinals - TBA Wednesday, March 26 Semifinals - 7 p.m. Semifinals - 9 p.m. Monday, March 31 Championship Series Game 1 - 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 2 Championship Series Game 2 - 8 p.m. Friday, April 4 Championship Series Game 3 (if necessary) - 8 p.m. all times Eastern Notes: Miami of Ohio has the tournament's top RPI, of 74. Old Dominion's 129 is worst. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The teams were chosen along the same criteria used by the other tournaments, putting a premium on overall and conference records and late-season play. But it didn't use a committee or secret ballot, instead offering invitations to what the Gazelle Group believed were the most intriguing and deserving teams - even those with sub-.500 records like Cincinnati.</div>
The Seeding (in order East, West, South & Midwest) #1 - Virginia, Washington, UTEP & Bradley #2 - Old Dominion, Nevada, Tulsa & Ohio #3 - Rider, Houston, Miami (OH) & Brown #4 - Richmond, Valparaiso, Utah & Cincinnati
Not surprisingly, some teams turned down an invite to this New Mexico State http://www.lcsun-news.com/sports/ci_8597299 <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>On Sunday, the Aggies failed to gain a berth in the NIT and later turned down an invitation to the inaugural 16-team College Basketball Invitational. "I notified the CBI that we are not going to accept the opportunity to play," NMSU Athletics Director McKinley Boston said. Boston said Menzies polled the Aggies players on Sunday and the response was disappointment from the NIT, but at the same time, the interest level for participating in a new tournament was not high. Economics were ultimately the deciding factor. The university would have to put up $50,000 to host a CBI game, which would require ticket sales between 6-7,000. The Aggies averaged 6,380 fans per game this year. "Our fans have been at best inconsistent this year," Boston said. "I just don't know if economically, I can depend on them to support a decision to take a home game other than a Texas-El Paso, and obviously, UTEP is looking to host." When asked about a road CBI game, Boston said, "It was a road game versus getting back in the classroom. For a NCAA or NIT road game, I could justify it, but not for a first year tournament."</div> Alabama http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/p.../803170336/1002 <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The National Invitation Tournament did not include the Tide among its 32-team field on Sunday night and school officials declined an offer to participate in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational tournament. After the loss on Friday, Alabama coach Mark Gottfried said he hoped the Tide's late-season surge would be enough to land the team a spot in the NIT field, or at worst, the new CBI field. The CBI, organized by the Gazelle Group, is starting a 16-team tournament this season for teams that don't qualify for either the NCAA or NIT, but the financial obligations are different for the new tournament and school officials elected not to participate.</div> Texas Tech http://lubbockonline.com/stories/031708/red_258542291.shtml <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Texas Tech received a phone call on Sunday night, but it wasn't the call the Red Raiders were waiting for. Organizers from a third post-season tournament phoned Tech and asked if the Red Raiders wanted to be a part of the inaugural College Basketball Invitational, which is run by the Gazelle Group, promoters of three non-conference tournaments. The Red Raiders declined to play in the CBI and after they failed to receive a bid to the National Invitation Tournament, they missed out on the post season for the second time in three years. ... Myers declined to address why Tech didn't accept a CBI bid, but Missouri athletic director Mike Alden told the Kansas City Star last week that the Gazelle Group wanted a $60,000 guarantee for teams that hosted games. All games in the CBI, including the best-of-three championship series, are played at campus sites.</div>
Games Tonight <pre>COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL (4) RICHMOND AT (1) VIRGINIA 7:00 (3) RIDER AT (2) OLD DOMINION 7:00 (3) BROWN AT (2) OHIO 7:00 (3) HOUSTON AT (2) NEVADA 9:00 </pre>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Mar 18 2008, 11:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Games Tonight <pre>COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL (4) RICHMOND AT (1) VIRGINIA 7:00 (3) RIDER AT (2) OLD DOMINION 7:00 (3) BROWN AT (2) OHIO 7:00 (3) HOUSTON AT (2) NEVADA 9:00 </pre></div> Virginia won 66-64 Old Dominion won 68-65 Ohio won 80-74 Houston "upset" Nevada 80-79 Games Tonight <pre>COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL (4) CINCINNATI AT (1) BRADLEY 7:00 (3) MIAMI OH AT (2) TULSA 8:00 (4) UTAH AT (1) UTEP 9:00 (4) VALPARAISO AT (1) WASHINGTON 9:00 </pre>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Mar 19 2008, 11:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Games Tonight <pre>COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL (4) CINCINNATI AT (1) BRADLEY 7:00 (3) MIAMI OH AT (2) TULSA 8:00 (4) UTAH AT (1) UTEP 9:00 (4) VALPARAISO AT (1) WASHINGTON 9:00 </pre></div> Bradley won 70-67 Tulsa won 61-45 Utah "upset" UTEP 81-69 Valpo "upset" Washington 72-71
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Mar 17 2008, 11:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Not surprisingly, some teams turned down an invite to this New Mexico State http://www.lcsun-news.com/sports/ci_8597299 <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>On Sunday, the Aggies failed to gain a berth in the NIT and later turned down an invitation to the inaugural 16-team College Basketball Invitational. "I notified the CBI that we are not going to accept the opportunity to play," NMSU Athletics Director McKinley Boston said. Boston said Menzies polled the Aggies players on Sunday and the response was disappointment from the NIT, but at the same time, the interest level for participating in a new tournament was not high. Economics were ultimately the deciding factor. The university would have to put up $50,000 to host a CBI game, which would require ticket sales between 6-7,000. The Aggies averaged 6,380 fans per game this year. "Our fans have been at best inconsistent this year," Boston said. "I just don't know if economically, I can depend on them to support a decision to take a home game other than a Texas-El Paso, and obviously, UTEP is looking to host." When asked about a road CBI game, Boston said, "It was a road game versus getting back in the classroom. For a NCAA or NIT road game, I could justify it, but not for a first year tournament."</div> Alabama http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/p.../803170336/1002 <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The National Invitation Tournament did not include the Tide among its 32-team field on Sunday night and school officials declined an offer to participate in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational tournament. After the loss on Friday, Alabama coach Mark Gottfried said he hoped the Tide's late-season surge would be enough to land the team a spot in the NIT field, or at worst, the new CBI field. The CBI, organized by the Gazelle Group, is starting a 16-team tournament this season for teams that don't qualify for either the NCAA or NIT, but the financial obligations are different for the new tournament and school officials elected not to participate.</div> Texas Tech http://lubbockonline.com/stories/031708/red_258542291.shtml <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Texas Tech received a phone call on Sunday night, but it wasn't the call the Red Raiders were waiting for. Organizers from a third post-season tournament phoned Tech and asked if the Red Raiders wanted to be a part of the inaugural College Basketball Invitational, which is run by the Gazelle Group, promoters of three non-conference tournaments. The Red Raiders declined to play in the CBI and after they failed to receive a bid to the National Invitation Tournament, they missed out on the post season for the second time in three years. ... Myers declined to address why Tech didn't accept a CBI bid, but Missouri athletic director Mike Alden told the Kansas City Star last week that the Gazelle Group wanted a $60,000 guarantee for teams that hosted games. All games in the CBI, including the best-of-three championship series, are played at campus sites.</div> </div> Seton Hall as well. 50k is bullshit.
