After a nerve-wracking 37 minutes of coverage, we learned that Boston College basketball was left out of this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament field of 68. Just not enough quality wins on the year, a bad final impression in the ACC Quarterfinals and bad losses to Miami x2, Harvard and Yale.
That said ... UAB and Clemson in as no. 12 seeds? VCU and USC as 11s? Georgia and Penn State in as 10s? Villanova a 9 seed? Michigan an 8? Kinda ridiculous, no?
There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the Selection Committee's picks this year. Teething pains as the Committee tries to figure out how to seed the new Tournament format, perhaps?
As a conference, the ACC got four teams in. Duke is in as the top seed in the West Regional. North Carolina is also in as a 2 seed. Florida State is in as a 10 seed in an interesting matchup with Texas A&M. Notice how Gumble mentioned the Aggies "started the season 16-1" ... Clemson will face UAB in Dayton in the #12 vs. #12 First Four matchup.
Virginia Tech -- we feel your pain. But really, we don't.
The Eagles will learn about their NIT fate (they are in) and first-round opponent during tonight's selection show on ESPNU. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 9 PM. The NIT first-round games are scheduled for March 15-16 at home sites, and Boston College is all but assured a home game as one of the tournament's top seeds.
This will be BC's 11th appearance all-time in the NIT. The Eagles have a record of 16-11 in the NIT, having made the NIT Championship Game once (1969) and the NIT Consolation Game twice (1974, 1988). It will be the first time BC has played in the NIT since 2003. That year, BC defeated Fairfield 90-78 before falling to Temple 75-62 in the NIT First Round.