NIT Champion?

[Ute in Chatt]

Do you think winning the NIT will help or hurt our recruiting quality players for next year?

[Ute in Chatt]

I was just wondering if we won or even played for the championship in the NIT, would it help or hurt us? I think the exposure would be good, but to me, it is like trying to race a matchbox car in the Daytona 500
Maybe it’s not that bad, but it still hurts we didn’t get in.

[The Miami Ute]

Personally, I think that nothing but good can come out of a situation where you’re receiving positive exposure. I mean, and this is just in my mind, I think that the Utes are helped more by winning the NIT than say losing a 1st RD tournament game that the vast majority of America probably didn’t watch.

[CoyoteUte]

I know we have a NIT Champs banner from the 40’s in the JHC. Larry K made the finals once, and I’m pretty sure Majerus had a run himself in the NIT? I enjoy the tournament, and that last run we had with Larry was tons of fun 😎

[Staples]

I don’t see how it could hurt. If anything, you could use it as a recruiting pitch – “we’re right on the edge of being a tournament team, you can be the player that gets us to the next level.”

[Minnesota Ute]

As a good buddy of mine always says, it’s like kissing your sister. (I don’t have a sister, so I wouldn’t know. But he is married to his cousin so… not really but that’s the running joke.)

[Tony (admin)]

65th best team.

[Ute in Chatt]

I guess it is basically saying here is your participation trophy. You participated a little more than others this year.

[UteBacker]

Best surfer in North Dakota…

[chinngiskhaan]

My guess is it would help a smidge with recruits that are already interested in coming to Utah. It would help them feel better about that decision. Would it convince a quality player to come to Utah instead of somewhere else? Only if they are stupid.

[Uteanooga]

Best skier in Chattanooga. I’ll compete with you for that.

[Ute in Chatt]

Lol I will compete with you Uteanooga. Lol might be a little bumpy and rocky here.

[AlohaUte]

For our program and where it’s been the last 20 years, it’s definitely a positive. For all the frustration with the program and not making the tourney, each year under Smith the program has improved and this season is no exception. It demonstrates continued growth – even if we aren’t patient enough.

Now if we were a regular tourney team and fell back to the NIT, it might be a different story.