At the end of last week, Ohio was fatefully ousted by Akron in its Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinal game. Shell-shocked and near the point of tears, I knew that any chance of an NCAA Tournament run — a la the Bobcats’ 2012 postseason — went out the window. Ohio’s future would be subject to the bidding of the National Invitational Tournament (fingers-crossed!), the College Basketball Invitational (we’ll take it!) or the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (gasp!).
Ohio didn’t make March Madness, nor did the Bobcats earn a berth in the NIT or CBI, which are essentially spring formals to the NCAA Tournament’s “Big Dance.” Instead, Ohio received a bid to play in the CIT. To continue with dance metaphors, the CIT is like taking your sister’s best friend to the winter wonderland ball.
Your date is cute, you’ll share a few laughs, but unfortunately, “One Shining Moment” will not be the slow dance song that ends the night. Even if it’s a successful evening, you’ll still be left out in the cold with little more than a kiss on the cheek.
Like that cheek peck, the CIT is not the real thing. But it’s better than nothing.
Sure, this postseason tournament has a mere five-year history and is named after a sponsor’s website. Yet, Ohio has made an appearance in every one of the four postseason tournaments offered since 2008. That’s diversity you can put on a résumé.
To go a bit off the deep end, a year after the Bobcats lost to East Tennessee State in the 2011 CIT quarterfinals, they took North Carolina into overtime for a shot at the Elite Eight. If you believe that this year’s CIT appearance could be a recurring pattern for Ohio to make the NCAA Tournament next season, think: Ohio is only a meager year from success on the big stage.
Perhaps this won’t happen, but to remain an optimist, I’ve made a list of things that will make the CIT more alluring for fans:
• Another senior night for the Bobcats and a chance to see senior guard Nick Kellogg drain more threes in The Convo? That’s the best kind of deja vu I’ve ever had. That I’ve ever had.
• If Ohio wins the CIT, Young Jeezy’s “I Put on For My City” could be the anthem of choice for the Bobcats. (Think: “I Put on For My CITy.”) Young Jeezy sounds better played over The Convo’s speakers than David Barrett. Who? Exactly.
• NBA phenoms Jeremy Lin and Damian Lillard are CIT alumni. Is the CIT a jumping-off point for the NBA? I’m not saying it is. I’m not saying it isn’t though.
Receiving a bid to play in the CIT outweighs the fact that most NCAA teams will be watching basketball rather than playing it in the month of March. At least Ohio will hit the hardwood for one last time.
Colin Hanner is a junior studying journalism. Are you excited about Ohio’s CIT bid? Email him about it at ch115710@ohiou.edu.
This column originally appeared in print under the headline, "CIT is better than nothing for the Bobcats"
