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It is easier if you're one of the better mid majors to get into these tournaments. Only one team per conference is allowed to be in each tournament. So that means if there are Eight teams they need a mid-major after the power conferences are filled. So being one of the better Mid-Majors really helps you get an invite. It is the reason Gonzaga, Dayton, VCU, and UConn get their pick of events. This event, and most of the big ones, are owned by ESPN. They don't actually look for the top teams but the teams with the most fans who will watch on TV. These events are not about selling tickets to the arena but about getting people to tune in to ESPN. It is hard to get into a specific event because you can only play in the same event once every four years. This means that teams shuffle every year to different events and the top teams get their priority and enter contracts years in advance. It is hard to get into a good event if you haven't been good for a long time. I have a feeling they wouldn't have been in a good event next year if not for Penn State pulling out. Teams pulling out and switching events is rare and there were likely very few teams available for the last slot. The later you're added to an event, the lower your priority for the event. You will notice SWAC and MEAC schools getting added to events over the summer when tournaments just need some warm bodies for campus games. Each event is formally sponsored by a host school or conference that sanctions the event. There is an exemption for teams outside the mainland that allows them to play in the same event more than once a year if they are the host school. Otherwise, even if you're the host, you can only play in the event once every four years. (Example: Hawaii plays in the Diamond Head Classic every year but College of Charleston won't be playing in the Charleston Classic they host in their home gym.) This is why Buffalo hosting an event wouldn't really help the team. They wouldn't be able to play in it 75% of the time. Schools and conferences that are the hosts of an event typically keep one slot to be filled by a team in their conference. This is why Towson is in Charleston this year and Northeastern was in it last year. Charleston gives one slot to CAA schools each year. The same is true of most of the other top tournaments: with the MAAC sponsoring the AdvoCare Invitational and Atlantis being sponsored by Conference USA, for instance. Schools are often paid to be in an event. But the payments are not always the same for each school and often times they only cover expenses. It all depends on how vital you are for an event. The winning team of the Battle 4 Atlantis was paid $1 Million in the early years but once the event was established they stopped doing that. Not Teams are only guaranteed Travel, Lodging, and an appearance fee of about $150k for playing at Atlantis. Some bracketed events don't pay teams anything other than covering their expenses for the event. They simply sell them on the location and the TV exposure. Playing in the minor bracket and playing road games can generate teams more money in some events. The visiting team is often paid for their road games while the major team may be paid to be in the major bracket, or if they are not a big enough name, simply be provided with a home game or two in lieu of payment. When you see a four team bracket as a part of one of these events and one team seems like they don't belong, there is a good chance that they are basically paying for that luxury to get to play the other teams. And when you see a historically good school in a minor bracket, it is likely because they wanted to take the money. For instance, it is common for a visiting team to be paid $80k to play in a four game event and then that team have to play two road games at an opponent's gym and then they get two neutral court games against similar tier teams. Hotels will be paid for but all other expenses the team is responsible for. While that might seem like an alright deal, this same school will most often be paid $85k for a single game when the go to an opponent's gym for a single game. So they are making less than they would normally make for a road game. This is the big issue with mid-major schools. Do you take the exposure or the money? If you take the exposure, you really don't want to go winless in the event.

The only nitpick I have to say about Dontay is, he has turned the ball over a lot the last 5 games. Turned it over 6 times against Bowling Green. That stat has to go way down. But he has been one of our best shooters and defenders. And as a senior, he is stepping up. Time for Perkins and Harris to step up too.

Nothing surprising about it. We’ve been saying this since conference play started. Every team wants a court storm. As you said it forces us to raise our level of focus and play. And it’s tough to play like that every game especially when teams are admitting we don’t care about one game but we are looking ahead to you. It’s going to be a tough road to the end of conference play and I hope this hardens us. Not mentally drains us for March.

If possible I think UB should actually try and go on the road with this one and maybe play at Florida if they can as part of this. It would be a homecoming of sorts for Davonta Jordan, Antwain Johnson and Ronaldo Segu

Personally I say reward excellence. Given his track record he should be paid more. UB has received tons of free advertising thanks to the basketball program. And don’t forget what when Hurley left and the disaster that followed. There was absolutely no drop off thanks to Nate and his staff. That was accomplished under far more trying circumstances. So while there could and may well be some drop off due to losing so many seniors I still think this program under Nate’s stewardship is in excellent shape.

Sounds good to me. No doubt this team has turned around. Ready to see if he can take us to the next level of conference championships and bowl victories. Most of all I like the stability. A coaching carousel is no way to have success

Love they were able to get into this tournament with a really strong field. It was fun playing in and winning a smaller tournament like we did this year, but win or lose it'll be fun seeing them compete with these.

This has been the best surprise in this stretch which is a pity so many others around him have been cold. His Defense has always been there in his career but a nice addition with his shooting lately.

This is just the kind of week we need to get back on track. Let’s put it together Saturday. Consistent effort on D, get Harris back on track and for the love of god MAKE OUR FREE THROWS

Just being realistic. I'm happy we're still ranked, don't think we're a top 25 team though. Hope we stay ranked. Completely disagree. One of the keys to the WBB team winning the 2016 MAC Tournament was a freshman, Gabi Bade, stepping up in the semifinals scoring 13 when (2018 All MAC 2nd Team) Stephanie Reid fouled out. We don't need to give them 25 minutes each, but they can't sit out the entire game.