For the second straight year, Coastal Carolina is heading to Alabama in the NIT. The Chanticleers face the Crimson Tide of the SEC in a first round NIT matchup on Tuesday at 7pm. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU. Last year, CCU made its first ever NIT appearance losing at Univeristy of Alabama-Birmingham.
WPDE Sports Director Rich Chrampanis, host of the Cliff Ellis Show shares some news and notes from CCU's NIT bid:
HOPING FOR A HIGHER SEED
The buzz at Logan's Roadhouse before the brackets were revealed was part of the excitement of selection Sunday (even for the NIT). A lot of Chanticleers including coach Cliff Ellis felt that they would be #7 seed and face #2 Miami. They were right about Miami getting a #2, but it was Coastal getting a #8 and a trip back to Alabama.
ABOUT 'BAMA
ESPN.COM: Alabama schedule and results 2010/11
A lot of people, myself included thought that Alabama was an NCAA team. I thought the Tide's quarterfinal win over Georgia sealed the deal and it would be Georgia heading to the NIT. Alabama has to be fuming - they beat the Bulldogs twice in the span of a week in march yet Georgia is in the field of 68, and Alabama gets the door prize of a top NIT slot. In the end, a poor strength of schedule and no quality out of conference wins hurt the Tide resume. However, if you were to say a team would go 12-4 in SEC play, reach the tourney semifinals and have 21 wins you'd say that's an NCAA lock. Not this year.
THE QUICK TURNAROUND
Give CCU one intangible in their favor. I talked to Danny Nieman and Anthony Raffa right after the selection and they both agreed. The Chants have had their mourning time to get over the heartbreak of missing out on the NCAA's. Alabama goes from heartbroken at 7:00 pm on Sunday night to having to play a game at 7:00 pm on Tuesday. Will Alabama have their hearts in it? They could come out real angry and dominant or they could be flat and uninspired. On the other side of the coin, CCU is scrambling late Sunday night for a Monday departure and the chance to try and pull off an upset.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
In January, there were thoughts of CCU sitting in the main draw as a #13 seed and a dangerous team that could have pulled off a first round upset in the NCAA Tournament. Since then, we all know about the team's fall and rise and fall again through the Big South Tournament and another disappointment on championship day. A win over Alabama would take a lot of sting off of the disappointment. Make no bones about it: Coastal is the big underdog here and will have to play at a premium to pull off the stunner.
2011 NIT Bracket
Left bracket:
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 8 Coastal Carolina Tuesday 7 pm
No. 4 New Mexico vs. No. 5 UTEP Tuesday 9 pm
No. 3 Missouri State vs. No. 6 Murray State Tuesday 8 pm
No. 2 Miami vs. No. 7 Florida Atlantic Wednesday 11 pm
No. 1 Colorado vs. No. 8 Texas Southern Wednesday 7pm
No. 4 California vs. No. 5 Mississippi Wednesday 9 pm
No. 3 Colorado St. vs. No. 6 Fairfield Tuesday 9 pm
No. 2 St. Mary's vs. No. 7 Kent St. Tuesday 11 pm
Right bracket:
No. 1 Boston College vs. 8 McNeese St. Tuesday 9 pm
No. 4 Northwestern vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Wednesday 8 pm
No. 3 Oklahoma St. vs. No. 6 Harvard Tuesday 7 pm
No. 2 Washington St. vs. No. 7 Long Beach St. Wednesday 10 pm
No. 1 Virginia Tech vs. No. 8 Bethune-Cookman Wednesday 8 pm
No. 4 Wichita St. vs. No. 5 Nebraska Wednesday 7 pm
No. 3 Dayton vs. No. 6 Charleston Tuesday 7 pm
No. 2 Cleveland St. vs. No. 7 Vermont Tuesday 7 pm
