South Alabama Basketball Team Wrecked By NIT, Season Ends In Ridiculous Fashion

The South Alabama basketball team thought it was going to get one last guaranteed chance to play together on Sunday night when it was presented an invitation to play in the NIT, also known as the National Invitation Tournament. 

News of the invitation from NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt and Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill was an exciting way to end the night for South Alabama head coach Richie Riley. Until just one hour later, when the pair called Riley back to inform him that UC Riverside had ditched another tournament for the NIT. 

This all started when UC Riverside notified the CBI Tournament, which is a step below the NIT, that it would be accepting its invitation to play in that event. This left an opportunity for the NIT to find another team to play in its tournament, which led to South Alabama getting the call. 

But in a bush league move, UC Riverside got out of the CBI, in favor of the NIT, which left South Alabama in a rough spot, one hour after receiving the invitation. The NIT rescinded the invitation to the Jaguars in the aftermath, making this situation even worse. 

As head coach Richie Riley told Mark Heim of AL.com, it was an unacceptable move, which is a nice way of putting it. 

"(Gill) said ‘We’ve had something happen; do you guys want to be in the NIT?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, it’d be awesome," Riley said. "And so we talked for a few more minutes. I said ‘this is 100%, we’re in, right?’ And they said ‘yeah congratulations. I’m glad you were able to get in'," Richie Riley explained to AL.com. 

"… I tell them, ‘I’m gonna tell my guys.’ They’re like ‘go ahead.’ So I tell the team. (Gill and Gavitt) call back, whatever time it was, 10:45, 11 o’clock. Dan’s like ‘no, UC Riverside is back in. I hate that we had to do this.’"

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - NOVEMBER 11: Head coach Richie Riley of the South Alabama Jaguars looks on during the first half of his team's game against the New Mexico Lobos at The Pit on November 11, 2022 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)

How did Richie Riley react to the call? 

"This is unacceptable. You can’t do that."

That's an understatement. Following the ridiculous communication, the NIT released a statement on social media trying to explain what transpired. 

Richie Riley Has To Tell His South Alabama Team The Season's Over

So, after telling his entire team that they were going to play in the postseason, Richie Riley then had to explain to his team that the season was over, after the emotions of finding out that it'd get at least one more time to play together. 

First off, if you extend an invitation, hold up to your side of the agreement. Don't go back on your word after making the phone call, but then find out another team actually got out of a non-NCAA affiliated tournament, so now it has to let South Alabama know that the season is over. 

I've seen some backdoor politicking before, and a lot of BS in this sport, but what the NCAA did to South Alabama is truly remarkable, and I don't mean that in a nice way. Hell, this is worse than North Carolina making the NCAA Tournament, because at least the other teams that didn’t make it weren't told they were actually in. 

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - NOVEMBER 12:  Randy Brady #34 of the South Alabama Jaguars drives against Malik Dia #0 of the Mississippi Rebels during the second half at C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum on November 12, 2024 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

I know you're probably thinking that this is only the NIT and it shouldn't matter. But, tell that to the basketball players who worked their asses off the entire season for a chance to play in a postseason tournament. 

Sure, it's not March Madness, but I promise you that those young men that play for South Alabama would've given their all in the NIT. 

But once again, the NCAA has egg on its face, and put the Jaguars through a rollercoaster of emotions that was unnecessary. If the NCAA wants to make it right, find a way to allow South Alabama to play this week. 

Who am I kidding? This is the NCAA we're talking about.