UPDATED: Redbirds denied NCAA Tournament bid; draw No. 1 seed in NIT

Posted on March 12, 2017
Paris Lee
Illinois State senior Paris Lee was named the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year and league Defensive Player of the Year. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)

By Eric Stock

NORMAL – Illinois State’s record-setting men’s basketball season wasn’t enough to convince the NCAA Tournament committee that the Redbirds were tournament worthy.

ISU was not among the 68 schools which received bids for the ‘Big Dance’ as the brackets were announced on Sunday afternoon.

The Redbirds were granted a No. 1 seed in the National Invitation Tournament for the first time. The Redbirds will host UC-Irvine on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.

Coach Dan Muller said he felt some anger after the Redbirds were snubbed.

“Probably one of the most frustrating parts is how stupid (the NCAA selection committee is) because (MVC) teams continue to outperform their seeds,” Muller said. “Our league wins every year it gets in and yet there is still no understanding of the quality of basketball and the quality of teams.

“It’s idiotic to me, it really is.”

Muller added that he and his coaching staff before the season called about 25 teams that made the NCAA Tournament and tried to get them on the schedule.

“We were very hopeful and for the right reason,” Muller said. “One team doesn’t win one game and we’re in, two teams maybe.”

Senior guard Paris Lee said it was tough watching the selection show with his teammates.

“I’m pretty upset, mad, sad, shocked,” Lee said. “In my four years, my goal was to get to the NCAA Tournament once, I didn’t achieve that goal.”

The Redbirds will play in their 14th NIT while making their 21st overall postseason tournament appearance.

ISU set a school record for wins (27) and earning their first Missouri Valley Conference regular season title in 1998, when coach Dan Muller was a player.

The MVC’s tournament champion, Wichita State (30-4) received a No. 10 seed in the South Region and will play Dayton on Friday in Indianapolis.

 

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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