As of now, there is no word on a coaching change; and the team was selected for the National Invitation Tournament as a 6th seed, starting off on the road against the Memphis Tigers. It’s an opportunity for the team to show that they have something good going on, and to put their talent on display against a good Memphis team from a good mid-major conference, Conference USA.
The Memphis Tigers were a Final Four participant in 1985 along with St. John’s, Villanova, and Georgetown, back when they were known as Memphis State. They are a far cry from where they were last year – and really, the last 4 years, where they dominated the Conference USA with a combination of John Calipari’s bravado, some impact 4 year players and a few one-and-done stars who were lottery picks in the NBA draft. This year may be a step down from those heights under new young coach Josh Pastner, but it’s understandable; the former coach took the impact recruits the team was counting on to be interior and perimeter presences with him to Kentucky.
The NIT is often unpredictable; some teams don’t bring their “A†games, with players down about a season that doesn’t end in the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament on CBS. But other teams see the NIT as either a springboard to a better “next year†or simply an opportunity to win more games and highlight their skills.
This game can be a springboard for the Red Storm’s 9 juniors, if they play with the fire they have displayed at times this year. The Tigers are certainly as beatable as Connecticut; and they can embarrass St. John’s like Connecticut did earlier this year. Can the Red Storm ramp up the intensity and win their NIT opener on the road in Memphis, possibly starting a run that would save Norm Roberts’ job?
The Tigers are currently 7.5 point favorites.
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Calm Before the Storm: Second Season