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NIT or NCAA: Miami-FL

Feb 22, 2008 – 6:04 PM
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Shiloh Carder

Shiloh Carder %BloggerTitle%

Throughout the season we'll look at bubble teams and assess whether they have a better chance of ending up in the NIT or NCAA Tournament.

Team: Miami-FL

Record: 18-7

Good Wins: Duke, Clemson, at Mississippi State

Bad Losses: Winthrop, Boston College, Florida State

Comments: The Canes have won three straight ... just after losing six of seven. Also, one of the 18 wins came against Florida Southern ... who play in the Division II Sunshine State Conference. They also won the O'Reilly Auto Parts tournament in San Juan.

Other Views:
They ranked 28th in RPI, 36th in the Sagarin Ratings but is listed on the "last four out" as an at-large according to Bracketology.

Verdict:
Miami is this year's Clemson: the ACC school who tore up a shaky non-conference schedule but then gets muddled in the middle of the pack during conference season. They have a strong RPI and SOS that would get them in if their ACC record was at least over .500. Right now, they are right there on the fence ... but fall on the NIT side. That doesn't mean they are done: in the next five days they play Maryland and Clemson. Wins there would push them back over to the NCAA side of the fence.
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