CBI or CIT???

[ORUIllini]

Any insider hear talk about ORU participating in either tourney?
The Happening Hoops guy on Twitter seems to think that ORU is a no for wanting to play.

If the reasoning is that one of these tournaments is a let down after a Sweet 16 run, I just don't get it....

A chance to play more games, continue the momentum of students attending games, seems like a win to me.....

[theeagleman5]

Hard to believe ORU wouldn't want to play an extra game or two....unless they don't want to pony up for a home game or feel like travelling some distance is a distraction for the kids or again unwanted costs.....But TheEagleman agrees that a final home game in the post season would be exciting for the ORU students and give us a chance to end the season on a more positive note....

[eagle88]

I completely agree with both of you. Playing in any post season game is a good thing however I don't think it is going to happen. I hope I am wrong.

[Old Titan]

Nary a peep from ORU since Monday night re: postseason play is not a good sign; they would know by now if they were on the radar and/or willing to play  

I ran into a just-graduated letterman in the summer of 2020 who said that, following their loss in the semis that year to NDSU (a week before COVID shut everything down), they had already voted as a team NOT to play in any postseason tourney. They were all ready to move on. 

If Mills annually permits his teams to make that choice each March, there’s always a chance this year’s edition felt the same way about continuing the season, and simply opted out after Sioux Falls and a disheartening February. 

[eagle88]

I think you nailed it on the head OT! How times have changed! Back in the day did the players have a choice?! Me thinks not!

[Old Titan]

I've done a little digging and can confirm that the season is over; no post-season play this year.

Which one could surmise is by choice; not for a lack of being wanted.

The reasons for choosing not to play could include a myriad of factors:  attitudes, health, expense, etc.

Sad, though, that this season (and perhaps Max's ORU career) just seemed to fizzle out on a down note...

 

[EagleManiac]

This is really surprising. Never would have guessed an ORU team would EVER turn down an offer at postseason play. Disappointing. 

Encouraging, though, that we haven't heard any news of transfers.

[ORUIllini]

1 hour ago, Old Titan said:

I've done a little digging and can confirm that the season is over; no post-season play this year.

Which one could surmise is by choice; not for a lack of being wanted.

The reasons for choosing not to play could include a myriad of factors:  attitudes, health, expense, etc.

Sad, though, that this season (and perhaps Max's ORU career) just seemed to fizzle out on a down note...

 

Certainly bummed as a fan at this news!

This season therefore ends with a very sour taste. So many positives coming off of last year and I would still consider this year a success.

I would of thought that either the CIT or CBI would of provided an opportunity to keep the student participation going for at least one more game that hopefully ended with a victory, and who knows, go on a winning streak and win one of these tournaments would have kept the momentum going even more so coupled with the Sweet 16 run.

For me personally, the decision by ORU to not play, speaks to the possible negativity within the program and the way it ended...maybe there are disgruntled members who will be leaving to enter the transfer portal soon, maybe we have seen the end of Max in an ORU jersey...

Just seems odd to me to not wanna play??

[theeagleman5]

Wait....don't we get to cast a vote???......

[Old Titan]

We live in different times...

We've got college football players who opt out of bowl games - sometimes really big ones - to concentrate on preparing for the NFL combine.

I remember high schooler Dylan Bundy choosing not to pitch in the state championship game for top-ranked Owasso, for fear of injury before the MLB draft, and basically ceding the title to Archie Bradley's Broken Arrow Tigers.

And professional basketball players who "shut down" for the season once their team is out of contention for the playoffs; season ticket holders be damned.

Look, I have no idea WHY ORU is not playing in a post-season tournament; are we sure they're even HAVING any tournaments other than the NIT?

But, if these events are being held, I feel pretty confident about one thing (which happens to be another pet peeve) - we fans will never get a legitimate explanation why ORU is not participating.

Maybe Bill Haisten can write another column about the topic; good luck to him getting a straight-forward quote from anybody... #smh

 

[ORUIllini]

This guy is about the only one that I have found that tries to predict who's playing in these events....you can find a couple others who piece together the NIT, which is way easier.

https://happeninghoops.com/2022/03/09/happening-hoops-cbi-the-basketball-classic-bracketology-9/

I realize we may never know why ORU is choosing to not participate. In one of his earlier Bracketology's that did not have ORU, I asked him why, and his guess was that maybe after the Sweet 16 run of last year, either of these events would be a serious let down.

One may never know.............

[Old Titan]

1 hour ago, ORUIllini said:

This guy is about the only one that I have found that tries to predict who's playing in these events....you can find a couple others who piece together the NIT, which is way easier.

https://happeninghoops.com/2022/03/09/happening-hoops-cbi-the-basketball-classic-bracketology-9/

I realize we may never know why ORU is choosing to not participate. In one of his earlier Bracketology's that did not have ORU, I asked him why, and his guess was that maybe after the Sweet 16 run of last year, either of these events would be a serious let down.

One may never know.............

Interesting that Summit League fifth-place finisher South Dakota is playing in one of these tournaments, but No. 2 NDSU, No. 3 ORU, and No. 4 UMKC are all sitting them out for whatever reason.

Good for the Yotes!  Hope they win a game or two.

[ORUIllini]

https://twitter.com/happeninghoops/status/1502463169565966337?s=21

OT, I’m gonna go with your insider knowledge, but no joke, Happening Hoops came out with an updated bracketology and now has ORU in it?!

Maybe there’s a chance…….maybe just wishful thinking.

[Bogus Smith]

29 minutes ago, ORUIllini said:

https://twitter.com/happeninghoops/status/1502463169565966337?s=21

OT, I’m gonna go with your insider knowledge, but no joke, Happening Hoops came out with an updated bracketology and now has ORU in it?!

Maybe there’s a chance…….maybe just wishful thinking.

ORU is in the mix, but Oklahoma State was dropped from the list.  Maybe they were just attempting to get an Oklahoma team in the South bracket.

[theeagleman5]

Wait....you say there's a chance?? 

[Old Titan]

2 hours ago, ORUIllini said:

https://twitter.com/happeninghoops/status/1502463169565966337?s=21

OT, I’m gonna go with your insider knowledge, but no joke, Happening Hoops came out with an updated bracketology and now has ORU in it?!

Maybe there’s a chance…….maybe just wishful thinking.

If I'm wrong, it would be because folks who know either lied or had no clue.

I don't think they lied, and they definitely have a clue.

[ORUTex]

It looks like "Happening Hoops" has updated its projections to remove ORU.  I'm sure OT is right; I'm just surprised that Mills wouldn't push hard for one more game to try to get to 20 wins. As others have mentioned that's an accomplishment that tends to get referenced in the future without regard to the details of how they achieved it.

[ORUTex]

Case in point: UTEP is doing it, giving them "a chance to get to 20 wins for the first time in 7 years."