In one of the better and more heartwarming stories of the college basketball season, the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) has been invited to play in its first Division I postseason tournament, the CIT. The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, which is like the distant, non-blood relative to the NCAA Tournament and only cousins with the NIT and CBI, was nice enough to invite them — all of which has made for some stories that elicit smiles and atta-boys.
You remember NJIT, right — the school that won at Michigan and created a brief Twitter storm in December, when most Americans were thinking about bowl games? The school loved that tidal wave of positive publicity, because it gave a forward push to some much bigger plans that were already in the works.
Nicole Auerbach of USA Today has a comprehensive write-up on all things concerning this story, as well as the fact that NJIT has no conference to call home, which provides issues for its athletic department with scheduling, getting automatic bids for postseason appearances, and a general lack of belonging in the land of Division I basketball. NJIT is the only independent school in D-I.
The story is a happy one on the surface: A smaller school, relatively new to the realm of big time college hoops, is attempting to make its mark, and thanks to the CIT, it looks like it is slowly starting to do so.
NJIT is not only talking the talk, but the Highlanders are also attempting to walk the walk. The school is planning on building a brand-new, $100 million multipurpose athletic facility this summer. This is important because it will raise possible attendance from (roughly) 1,000 to 3,500. It is worth noting that the latter number may still seem rather low to some who are used to watching the power programs of the world, but it is a start and shows the school means business.
The school is hoping that this will open up more opportunities to join a conference. Since NJIT is the lone independent in all of Division I hoops, it is vital for the Highlanders to join a league — at least from financial and competitive standpoints.
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Here is where I will start to differ from some people’s thoughts on this matter. Many want the NCAA to step in and help the university join a league, almost forcing a conference, any league, to take them on. To that I say, well, no.
Others think they should get in a league because they won a game. Logically, the latter is laughable while I am willing to listen to the other argument — although I am cautious because I feel like we’ve become so enamored with the underdog story we have ignored some of the realities of the situation.
Some of the issues here are actually the NCAA’s fault, though. There are approximately eleventy-billion Division I basketball programs in the country (actual number 351). All of them have different budgets, different facilities, different expectations, different everything. That spits in the eye of one of the NCAA’s more funnier ideals: fair and competitive balance.
It is unrealistic to think that the Club State Pool Cleaners can battle the Kentucky Wildcats. I mean, one school is willing to pay its head coach millions, have state-of-the-art facilities, and do almost anything it takes to be the best program in the land. On the other hand, our beloved Pool Cleaners are barely getting by, paying their head coach very low six-figures, and aren’t willing to mortgage the farm (the pool?) to win basketball games.
Still, in this instance, it was NJIT’s decision to become a Division I basketball program. No one forced the school’s hand, telling them it was either this or fold as a university. No one made them do it because it was what all the cool kids are doing. Simply put: Universities tend to decide to jump up to Division I sports because of the allure of making more money.
I do applaud NJIT, though. Let’s get that straight. The Highlanders have clearly taken this very seriously and have shown as much by building this new arena. While part of this may be a money grab to some level, they are willing to spend money to get money — revenues they won’t recoup until way down the road.
However, how is it the NCAA’s — or any league’s — responsibility to help a school which has made decisions to reshape its future to be granted access to a league? Isn’t that what the school is trying to solve and act upon?
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I know. I know. I feel like I’m pooh-poohing this heartwarming story.
My concerns are my concerns and not that of the general public’s. NJIT is in a tricky spot. Without being affiliated with a conference, the Highlanders aren’t afforded a portion of network contract money that most schools receive from the leagues they are members of. This makes the risk of building a hundred-million-dollar arena, seemingly for the sole purpose of getting invited to a league, a risky one.
Sure, people love underdog stories. NJIT is making every effort to get into a league by building a new arena; continuing to be the fine academic institute it truly is; and talking a good game along the way.
The true point of emphasis is this: Good stories are great, fun and inspiring, but it doesn’t mean they are automatically deserved by all. Much in the same way someone knew the risks of expanding his small business, the New Jersey Institute of Technology knew the risks of building an arena before deciding to go ahead with its plan. It’s not up to anyone but them to get this thing done… and live with the consequences of it.
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P.S.: I do feel dirty having written all of the above, despite rooting for the program to win as many games as humanly possible and hoping it gets a conference invite sooner than later. Go Highlanders!
