Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/113203
pocket, Purdue's chances of securing an NIT bid have improved dramatically. The Boiler brass has already submitted a bid to host games for the 76th-annual event. There are no stipulations stating the NIT can't take a team with a sub-.500 record, but it has never done so. Since the NCAA became the presiding unit over the NIT in 2006 and started seeding the Tournament, only one team with an even record has been invited. North Carolina was 16-16 in 2010 and proved worthy of the invitation, advancing to the championship game in Madison Square Garden before losing to Dayton. Purdue sits at 14-15 entering the week with home games against Michigan and Minnesota on the schedule. Since 2006, seven teams with a record of one more win than loss have been invited, though five of those teams were in 2006 alone. Last year, Iowa played in the 16th annual men's BIG TEN NIT with a 17-16 TOURNAMENT projection as of March 4 Friday, Sunday, Saturday, Thursday, record and lost March 15 March 17 March 16 March 14 to Oregon in the Quarterfinals Finals Semifinals Round One second round. #1 Indiana Penn State is ESPN #8 Iowa the only other Noon BTN Noon league team to CBS #9 Purdue play in the NIT 1:40 p.m. #4 Ohio State under this sceESPN #5 Michigan nario as the 1525 min. after BTN 14 Lions lost in 25 min after CBS #12 Penn State the first round to 3:30 p.m. #2 Michigan State Rutgers in 2006. BTN #7 Minnesota One would 6:30 p.m. ESPN2 think the Boiler6:30 p.m. CBS #10 Nebraska makers would 25 min. after #3 Wisconsin be a get high BTN consideration #6 Illinois 25 min. after ESPN2 United Center for the College 25 min. after Chicago Basketball Invi#11 N'western All times Eastern Time tational as the "I really like Ronnie Johnson. I think, in time, he can become the best open-court player in college basketball," Dakich said. He also repeated his observation that Hammons has "Big Ten Player-of-the Year potential" but also said the freshman had regressed of late. "I am disappointed in him Tom Campbell (right now)," Dakich said. "You Ronnie Johnson's had his ups and downs runcan't score 15 points a game and ning the point for Purdue as a freshman, but he played in a hostile setting at Wisconsin, give up 25 and be successful. He which certainly bodes well for his future. needs to get out on screens defensively and he needs to learn to 16-team tournament has invited play at a level (of hustle) that Matt six teams with losing records since Painter expects." its inception in 2008. But none of those teams have been from the Big Ten. Oregon State in 2009 and Oregon in 2011 won the event. Big Ten teams are not eligible for the 32-team CollegeInsider.com Tournament, which is reserved for mid-major conferences. Moving again Former Boilermaker JaJuan Johnson was traded from Canton to Idaho in the NBDL last week. He'd already been traded from Fort Wayne to Canton earlier this season. In his first 30 games with those franchises, Johnson averaged 10.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. j Dakich likes Ronnie ESPN color analyst Dan Dakich was his usual talkative self during the Purdue-Wisconsin game. GoldanDBlack express • volume 23, express 24 • 11