Muller: ISU will consider ‘some’ postseason tournaments

Posted on March 7, 2016
Dan Muller's Redbirds lost in the quarterfinals of the MVC Tournament to Indiana State on Friday. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)
Dan Muller’s Redbirds lost in the quarterfinals of the MVC Tournament to Indiana State on Friday. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)

By Eric Stock

NORMAL – Illinois State men’s basketball coach Dan Muller said it’s wait-and-see until next week when the Redbirds find out if they have been invited to a postseason basketball tournament.

The Redbirds’ 65-57 loss to Indiana State in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament on Friday dropped Illinois State’s record to 18-14.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Muller on WJBC.

“(ISU athletics director) Larry Lyons and myself will get together with president (Larry) Dietz, will OK something or give input, certainly we’ll do what he says of course,” Muller said. “We’ll try to figure out what might be best for this group, what might be best for our program.”

Muller said ISU won’t receive a bid to the National Invitation Tournament.

“There’s a couple tournaments, some we won’t consider, some we will consider,” Muller said.

ISU played in the NIT last season making it to the second round and advanced to the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational in 2014.

Muller said a new postseason tournament, the Vegas 16, has piqued his interest.

“That could be great for us,” Muller said of the inaugural tournament, scheduled for March 26-30 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Muller added he expects Evansville (25-9) will land an NIT bid after losing to defending champion Northern Iowa (22-12) in the championship game on Sunday.

Postseason selections are expected to be announced on Sunday night.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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