Kentucky Sports Radio

They say history has a way of repeating itself. I’m not sure if “they” were too concerned with the NIT when coming up with that famous quote, but hey, you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. Kentucky enters this year’s NIT as the overall #1 seed, joining Alabama, Southern Miss and Virginia. The #1 seeds in the NIT are almost always considered to be the first four teams left out of the NCAA tournament field. The teams were usually on the bubble and within a win or two of being included. The disappointment that accompanies being that close can really resurface in one of three ways:

1) A team can use the NIT as a springboard for the next season, especially if some or most of the players are likely to return

2) A team can use the NIT as a way to put a positive spin on the disappointment– using it as a road to redemption (or at least a road to something slightly better than the disappointment)

3) A team can enter the NIT feeling snubbed and only focus on the fact that it’s not the “Big Dance.”

We will probably find out tonight which path this Kentucky team plans to take with the NIT. I thought I would take a look back at the NIT from 2006-2012 to see how the other #1 seeds finished in the tournament. Below are a few other notes before the results of the #1 seeds from the past are revealed:

– A #1 seed has not won the NIT tournament since 2008 (Ohio State)

– Only six #1 seeds have made the championship game since 2006

– Three #1 seeds lost in the 1st game of the NIT

– The track record for the six SEC #1 seeds since 2006 is as follows: Second round loss, Runner-Up, Second Round, Quarterfinals, Runner-Up, Final Four

– In almost each tournament since 2006, a dangerous mid-major (almost never seeded #1) has made a deep run in the NIT tournament.

– Last year’s NIT Final 4 had the following seeds involved: #1 seed Washington, #6 seed Minnesota, #5 seed UMASS and #3 seed Stanford

Listed below are the #1 seeds and how far each advanced in the tournament from 2006 through 2012. Listed in italics is the dangerous mid-major team who made a deep run that particular year. 

2012- Washington (Final 4), Tennessee (Second Round), Seton Hall (Second Round), Arizona (Lost 1st round game) ,

*Dangerous Mid-Major: UMASS (Final 4)

2011- Alabama (Runner-Up), Colorado (Final 4), Boston College (Second Round), Virginia Tech (Second Round)

*Dangerous Mid-Major: Wichita State (Champs)

2010- Illinois (Quarterfinals), Arizona State (Lost 1st round game), Virginia Tech (Quarterfinals), Mississippi State (Second Round)

*Dangerous Mid-Majors: Dayton (Champs), Rhode Island (Final 4)

2009- San Diego State (Final 4), Auburn (Quarterfinals), Creighton (Second Round), Florida (Runner-Up)

 *Dangerous Mid-Major: San Diego State (actually received a #1 seed)

2008- Ohio State (Champions), Virginia Tech (Quarterfinals), Arizona State (Quarterfinals), Syracuse (Quarterfinals)

*Dangerous Mid-Major: UMASS (Runner-Up)

2007- West Virginia (Champions), Clemson (Runner-Up), Air Force (Final 4), Mississippi State (Final 4)

*This particular year, all of the #1 seeds made the Final 4. 

2006- Maryland (Lost in 1st round), Michigan (Runner-Up), Louisville (Final 4), Cincinnati (Quarterfinals)

*Dangerous Mid-Major: Old Dominion (Final 4)