It might not be the NCAA Tournament, but the governing body’s massive blunder in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) has one team livid.
South Alabama was notified by the NCAA and Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill, who serves as vice chair of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, that they were extended a bid into the NIT late Sunday night.
But just one hour after doing so, head coach Richie Riley tells AL.com that the invitation was rescinded, breaking the hearts of his program.
South Alabama Jaguars head coach Richie Riley watches during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at C.M. ‘Tad’ Smith Coliseum. (Petre Thomas/Imagn Images)
“It’s just unfair for our players,” Riley explained. “We’ve got a team with zero NIL. They’re a bunch of underdogs that fought their asses off. And now I have to tell them they’re not in the NIT. It’s just an absolute joke.”
For the NCAA Tournament bracket, teams like West Virginia were appalled they didn’t make it in, but they were also on the bubble. South Alabama getting the invite just to have it ripped away is a much worse pill to swallow.
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Riley detailed the situation to AL.com, saying that Gill and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt called him at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday with the invitation because UC Riverside committed to the College Basketball Invitational instead.
However, that commitment came before UC Riverside was extended the NIT invite. With UC Riverside wanting in, the NCAA rescinded South Alabama’s bid to get it back to them.
Riley said that he had already told his players they would be participating in the NIT.
South Alabama Jaguars head coach Richie Riley talks with forward Barry Dunning Jr. (22) and guard John Broom (14) during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at C.M. ‘Tad’ Smith Coliseum. (Petre Thomas-Imagn Images)
“I said, ‘This is 100%, we’re in right?’ And they said, ‘Yeah, congratulations. I’m glad you were able to get in,'” Riley explained.
“…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.’ This is unacceptable. You can’t do that.”
The NIT released an apology statement to South Alabama, saying they understand the “emotional impact this confusion created.” Riley wasn’t hearing any of that, though, calling the statement a “meaningless apology” on X.
“What they did to us last night is inexcusable!” Riley’s X post continued. “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!”
South Alabama head coach Richie Riley watches his team play against Alabama at Coleman Coliseum. (Gary Cosby Jr./USA TODAY Sports)
The Jaguars owned a 21-11 record on the season, which was tied with Troy, James Madison and Arkansas State for the Sun Belt Conference regular season championship. They would go on to lose to Arkansas State in the Sun Belt semifinals, 74-71.
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