Illinois State turns down bid?

[mvcfan]

I see these tournaments either as a reward for an overachieving team or as an excuse for a young team to conduct more practices and build toward next year. ISU doesn't really fit into either category, except that maybe its coaching staff could use some development.

I see what you did there. ISU isn't an overachieving team or a young team. They are an underachieving old team.

[Zardoz]

Even if you have 4 or 5 seniors you still accept the bid to give the underclassmen that much more practice time or team building time. The seniors can lace it up a few more times. It seams to have turned out well for WSU and CU in the past, but is beneath the redbirds as they might actually have to put some money into the basketball program beyond what is absolutely required, pathetic.

[isuredbirds92]

We can sit here all day and go back and forth saying whether it's right for them to reject the invites or not. But really, none of us know what is going on in the locker room. Maybe there's just something that we don't know about going on within the organization. Who knows? I am disappointed that I don't get to see Jackie swat a few more shots, dunkface a few more chumps or maybe karate kick someone in the chest. But at the end of the day, if your heart isn't in it, then don't play. If it would just be a going-through-the-motions situation then I don't see any reason to play. The majority of the contributing team is leaving, and if a semi-final appearance in the conference tourney after a rollercoaster season is where they want to leave their college careers, then so be it. If that is the case, then I respect the organization's decision. With that said, good luck to all the other Valley teams representing the league in the postseason. Hopefully WSU or CU can make some noise in the NCAA's. But not counting on it, no offense. Who do you guys have winning it this year? I'm torn between duke and louisville. Any sleepers?

[PurpleRedbird]

I personally think it's more important for ISU's coaches to attend the JUCO national tourney this week than to prepare for a meaningless tournament. With the large number of new players being needed, going full steam ahead in recruiting is much more important in this instance. Especially if the seniors were not vocal that they wanted to play, which apparently they were not. Time to move on.

One man's opinion.

[Dean Wormer]

ISU isn't the only one. Apparently Murray State did as well;

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