ESPN: Illinois State coach Dan Muller sends Twitter plea to boost next season's slate

per ESPN:

Illinois State men's basketball coach Dan Muller is clearly displeased with the selection committee's decision to leave his team out of the NCAA tournament field, and he has taken to Twitter to vent his frustration.

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Illinois State finished 27-6 overall and 17-1 in the Missouri Valley, but the Redbirds couldn't get past Wichita State in the conference tournament final. The Shockers earned the league's automatic bid, and the committee declined to award the Redbirds with an at-large spot.

But Muller did get a response from Ole Miss athletic director Ross Bjork.

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After Illinois State knew its tournament hopes were dashed Sunday, players and coaches were quick to vent their feelings about being snubbed.

"I'm pretty upset, mad-slash-sad, shocked," said Missouri Valley Player of the Year Paris Lee, according to the Chicago Tribune. "Everybody in that locker room is human. Everybody is hurt."

Muller, meanwhile, said the circumstances were "idiotic to me."

But Muller's tweet goes to the heart of the issue for many mid-major teams. The committee frequently denies at-large bids to teams in non-Power 5 conferences, often citing their nonconference schedules as the biggest roadblock. As Muller's tweet indicates, many Power 5 schools are reluctant to schedule games with quality mid-majors. They are less reliant on the games to bolster their NCAA résumés and fear that a loss would hurt them.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...edbirds-coach-tweets-search-power-5-opponents

Go Gophers!!

Nice of Ole Miss to respond and take them up on the offer.

If anything messes up the selection process it's the lake of meaningful non-conference games between key conferences.
I like the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, but at the same time teams should be trying to get a cross-section of all conference, but some obviously understand the RPI better than others and know how to avoid the right teams which can move your RPI up 30-50 points simply by avoiding really awful teams.

It is tough on the good mid-majors. Usually cannot get a home and home. The power conferences want the home game, neutral court game or simply won't schedule them.

scools12 said:

It is tough on the good mid-majors. Usually cannot get a home and home. The power conferences want the home game, neutral court game or simply won't schedule them.

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So maybe it's time for some of the mid-majors to suck it up and not demand a home and home and just say any time any place in order to beef up their schedules. I'm not sure of the financial realities of mid-majors and how much of a hit on their budgets that might make, but they need to take the long view to strengthen their schedules. As a fan, I want quality games against quality teams no matter what conference they are in. We should be able to accommodate and create win-win for both.

Ironically, it was the Missouri Valley who pushed the RPI on its teams years ago and told them to upgrade their schedules and it resulted in several years of 3-4 teams getting in. That was during the Creighton years. I hope they get better games. It would help all of college basketball and those who watch it. But they may have to give a little to make it work.

Idiotic?? Really?

This is a team that lost to Wichita State by 45 and 20 points. Plus losing to Murray State(16-17), Tulsa(15-17), San Francisco(20-14) and TCU(19-15).

Win the NIT and show everyone how good you are.

Ill St

The Gophers should offer to play them next year on March 10 or 11, after both teams have finished their Conf Tourneys. They each will each have at least a full week off prior to Selection Sunday.

Ope3 said:

The Gophers should offer to play them next year on March 10 or 11, after both teams have finished their Conf Tourneys. They each will each have at least a full week off prior to Selection Sunday.

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While I don't like the idea of us having potentially two weeks in between games at that time of year, can you imagine the narrative change that would happen if we have a great season, good BTT and then blow a game vs these guys on March 11?! Yea, no thanks. And at that point in the season, a win does nothing.

Stan said:

And at that point in the season, a win does nothing.

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A like win at that point of the season helps the resume as much as any other like win at any other point in the season.