It may not be the NCAA tournament, but the massive error of the director organ in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) has a livid team.
The southern Alabama was informed by the commissioner of the NCAA and Sun Belt Keith Gill, who is vice-president of the NCAA tournament selection committee, that they were extended in the Nit Sunday evening.
But only an hour after doing it, head coach Richie Riley told Al.com that the invitation was canceled, breaking the heart of his program.
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South coach of South Alabama Jaguars, Richie Riley, looks at the first half against the Mississippi rebels at CM ‘Tad’ Smith Coliseum. (Petre Thomas / Imagn images)
“It’s just unfair for our players,” said Riley. “We have a team with Zero Nil. They are a bunch of outsiders who have fought their asses. And now I have to tell them that they are not in the nit. It’s just an absolute joke.”
For the support of the NCAA tournament, teams like Virginia-Western were dismayed, they did not arrive, but they were also on the bubble. The southern Alabama obtains the invitation just to have it torn it off is a very worse pill to swallow.
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Riley detailed the situation at Al.com, saying that Gill and the main vice-president of Basketball Dan Gavitt from Gill and the NCAA called him on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. with the invitation because UC Riverside is committed to the Basketball Invitational College.
However, this commitment came before UC Riverside was extended the nit invitation. With UC Riverside who wanted, the NCAA canceled South Alabama’s attempt to give them.
Riley said he had already told his players that they would participate in the nit.
South coach of South Alabama Jaguars, Richie Riley, talks with striker Barry Dunning Jr. (22) and goalkeeper John Broom (14) during the first half against the Mississippi rebels at CM ‘Tad’ Smith Coliseum. (Petre Thomas-Imagn images)
“I said,” Is it 100%, we are right? “And they said,” Yes, congratulations.
“… I say to them:” I’m going to tell my guys. “They are like,” go ahead “. So I say to the team. It’s unacceptable.
The nit has published a declaration of apology in the south of Alabama, saying that they understand “the emotional impact that this confusion has created”. Riley heard none of this, however, calling the declaration of “excuses devoid of meaning” on X.
“What they did to us last night is inexcusable!” Riley’s X Post continued. “These guys in our changing rooms do not deserve this and it is sad that your idea of doing it is a copy and excuses to stick!”
South Alabama head coach Richie Riley looks at his team to play against Alabama at Coleman Coliseum. (Gary Cosby Jr./usa TODAY SPORTS)
The Jaguars had a 21-11 record on the season, which was tied with Troy, James Madison and Arkansas State for the regular season championship of the Sun Belt conference. They would lose to losing against the Arkansas State in the semi-finals of the solar belt, 74-71.
