re: Which is better? Make a run in NIT or lose NCAAt first round to 16 seed?

Seriously? There's someone -- anyone -- who'd choose to be the first 1 seed in the history of the tourney to lose in the first round? There are just some kinds of history no team would ever want to make.

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This. Give me an NIT appearance any day of the week over being a 1 seed losing to a 16.

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Seriously. It's like the Michigan/Appalachian State game in 2007. I bet 99% of the population outside of Florida couldn't tell you that Michigan finished the season ranked in the top 20 with a Cap 1 bowl win over UF. Hell, a good 90% of the population probably thinks that's still the only win by an FCS school over a ranked FBS school in history (it's not anymore, with JMU beating VT a few years ago, and Oregon State losing to Eastern Washington (I think) last year.)

You just don't want to be "that guy."

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This. The worst NCAA tournament team is still ranked ahead of the best NIT team at the end of the year.

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Where are they ranked higher?

It is more of a question than people seem to think. If Wichita State were to be the first #1 seed to lose to a 16 seed their season would not be looked back upon with respect.

If you are in a good conference, just miss the NCAA and win the NIT you could argue you were flat out better than WS - you just played a tougher schedule.

FWIW, I don't think any SEC missing the tourney this year can make the argument. The SEC is fine at the top with Florida but IMO is not full of quality teams this year.

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Seriously. It's like the Michigan/Appalachian State game in 2007. I bet 99% of the population outside of Florida couldn't tell you that Michigan finished the season ranked in the top 20 with a Cap 1 bowl win over UF. Hell, a good 90% of the population probably thinks that's still the only win by an FCS school over a ranked FBS school in history (it's not anymore, with JMU beating VT a few years ago, and Oregon State losing to Eastern Washington (I think) last year.)

You just don't want to be "that guy."

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This...very much this.

The point is that Arkansas should hold their heads high. Nothing wrong with making NIT. Could be worse (losing to 16 seed)

I remember when LSU was a regular in the NCAA and got beat by 20 by freakin NAVY in the first round. That was miserable and no way it should've happened even with David Robinson. Maybe the worst NCAA loss of Dale Brown's career.
Still better than an NIT win, though. NIT sucks because an SEC team usually plays smaller schools that play like it is the NCAA Final Four.

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The point is that Arkansas should hold their heads high. Nothing wrong with making NIT.

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I get where you're going on the Arkytard trolling angle of this, Sensei, but too much at Mizzou expense. Arky does plenty to themselves without us needed as any sort of frame of reference.

The thing about the NCAA tourney is its the only single elimination format that also pits vastly different levels of teams against each other. Sure football bowls are just one game also, but the bowls are all deliberately even pairings for the most part. NFL playoffs are harder to even make it into so the teams are all pretty good that get there. Everything else I can think of is all more than just a one game series.

And that's the thing about the Dance, in one game anything can happen. In one game, George Mason or VCU or OMFGCU can beat you. In a 3 game or 4 game series, the odds of that dwindle exponentially.

That's why Cinderella is far far far more prominent in the Dance than any other sport, and its why 30 and 35 game winners in the sport don't need to wear a scarlett letter their whole lives if they lose to Cinderella because every major program has had that shite happen to them. Bobby Knight's Indiana got knocked off by 14 seed Richmond. Arizona lost to a 15 seed as a 2 seed. kansas got Bucknelled. Georgetown got Florida Gulf Coasted. Its what makes the tourney fun. But none of those big programs would have preferred to be in the NIT that year. I mean except Arky, they rest up and look forward to the NIT, but I was discussing major programs so really wasn't referring to them anyway.

Just making the NCAAt is better

I'd definitely rather go to the NIT then be the first 1 seed in history to lose to a 16.

Unless he means being a 16 losing to a 16.

I really don't care about what happens in the NIT at all. In fact, if they cut the relevant tournament down to 32 teams and eliminated the other postseason tournaments, I think the sport would be much better.