tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5021578752366551149.post924341976788687271..comments2023-10-07T07:50:36.380-05:00Comments on Welsh-Ryan Ramblings: A Northwestern Basketball Blog: Northwestern Wildcats: Postseason ThoughtsRyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16817772081769599211noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5021578752366551149.post-16834515508063282652010-02-20T09:03:40.212-06:002010-02-20T09:03:40.212-06:00Agree completely. I think there are still goals f...Agree completely. I think there are still goals for this team, and simply MAKING the NIT is one of them. The NIT has become a more selective field since (a) it reduced to 32 invitees and (b) it bestowed an automatic bid to regular season conference champions who don't win their conference tournament. This means that teams sitting in the high-60s and 70s of the RPI are in danger of missing the NIT. NU fans should be keenly aware of the NIT's selectivity. In 2001-02, the Cats finished above .500 overall with a 7-9 conference record. A lack of quality wins, plus a four-game end-of-season losing streak, left them out. This was even before the NIT selection process was narrowed. <br /><br />Going forward (and including the BTT), the Cats need two wins at a minimum, three to push our NIT status into the "probable" range and four to make it a no-brainer. Overall, Cats' fans - and more importantly, the Cats themselves - need to understand that there is work left to be done. <br /><br />After conference champions and true bubble teams, there's not much room left in the NIT. Cats' fans need to remember that we're not even a bubble team, so the NIT is not as sure as it may seem.Damianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04844301571024765800noreply@blogger.com