The NIT has just apologized to the South Alabama Jaguars for a crucial error that prematurely extended South Alabama a postseason invite. The Sun Belt Conference commissioner, Kevin Gill, called South Alabama’s head coach, Richie Riley, to inform him of the NIT Invitation.
An hour later, Riley was told by Gill and NCAA’s senior vice president of basketball, Dan Gavitt, that UC Riverside, who were invited to the NIT before South Alabama, managed to get out of its commitment to take part in a different post-season tournament, the College Basketball Invitational.
NCAA’s NIT Error Leaves South Alabama in the Cold
Riley had already told his players about their NIT place. When he got the call, they were no longer invited. He had to once again crush his players’ dreams and tell them the heartbreaking news.
The NIT released a quote on Monday for their mishap.
“After the NIT bracket was released Sunday evening, it was brought to the NIT’s attention that one of the teams scheduled to participate in the tournament had also committed to a non-NCAA affiliated postseason event. In an effort to secure another participating team, the NIT prematurely extended an invitation to the South Alabama Jaguars, prior to learning that the original team chose to accept its invitation to the NIT. Regrettably, the NIT rescinded its invitation to South Alabama. We understand the emotional impact this confusion created, and we sincerely apologize to South Alabama, Head Coach Richie Riley, and all the student-athletes for the error.”
The Jaguars head coach fired back with a quote of his own in response to the NIT apology:
“A meaningless apology to the most meaningful group of players I’ve ever coached! What they did to us last night is inexcusable! These guys in our locker room don’t deserve this and it’s sad your idea of making it right is a copy and paste apology!”
Riley also told AL.com on Monday that he was informed that the Jaguars were in the tournament.
“(Gill) said ‘We’ve had something happen; do you guys want to be in the NIT?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, it’d be awesome,” Riley said. “And so we talked for a few more minutes. I said ‘this is 100%, we’re in, right?’ And they said ‘yeah congratulations. I’m glad you were able to get in.’
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“… I tell them, ‘I’m gonna tell my guys.’ They’re like ‘go ahead.’ So I tell the team. (Gill and Gavitt) call back, whatever time it was, 10:45, 11 o’clock. Dan’s like ‘no, UC Riverside is back in. I hate that we had to do this.’
Regardless of what team you support, you have to feel bad for the kids involved, who had high hopes for a tournament invite. Now, their season has officially come to an end after a careless mistake from NIT.
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