The nature of Selection Sunday and inexact science with bracketology means at least one deserving team will likely get screwed every March. That appears to be the Men’s Indiana State Sycamores, who ended up being one of the first four teams out.
As the Men’s full bracket was revealed on Sunday, the Sycamores were an egregious omission out of the field of 68. Despite a 28-6 record, the committee decided to leave Indiana State out of the NCAA Tournament. And that doesn’t even tell the full story of this tremendous oversight for a quality mid-major team.
According to Mid-Major Madness, the Sycamores are officially the highest-ranked NET team to ever be left out of the Men’s field. I would personally be absolutely sick if I saw that statistic as a college hoops fan, let alone someone who roots for Indiana State:
College hoops were understandably frustrated to see a fun mid-major team like Indiana State left out of the 2024 Men’s tournament.
Indiana State looking at the NCAA Tournament bracket. pic.twitter.com/Fy9m36PV1W
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) March 17, 2024
Indiana State is No. 29 in the NET and they’re not in. Does the NET still matter? #MVCHoops
— Paul Oren (@TVBOren) March 17, 2024
alright time for indiana state to go win the NIT pic.twitter.com/Dgt8HuVa66
— whitney medworth (@its_whitney) March 17, 2024
St. John’s and Indiana State… pic.twitter.com/PGq7ZBlFBi
— The College Basketball Stories Podcast (@theCBBstories) March 17, 2024
Indiana State not being in the tournament is a damn shame.
— Steve Millar (@Millar_S) March 17, 2024
Man, throw out all of the analytics. Indiana State SHOULD be an NCAA Tournament team. Absolutely no respect for the MVC once again!
— Matt McClain (@MattMcClain3) March 17, 2024
Indiana State being the highest net ranking team ever to not make the tournament is crazy. What’s the point of the NET then??
— Podcast63 (@Podcast63) March 17, 2024
“Indiana State isn’t in because they played a bad non-league slate because nobody would play them.” – The NCAA chair, essentially
— Brian (@sportsmatters) March 17, 2024
Man, almost impossible for a mid major to get an at large bid. Indiana State got screwed.
— Brittany Carper (@BrittanyCarper) March 17, 2024