Happening Hoops CBI Bracketology

By: Ethan Hennessy

March 5th 2021

The CBI looks to be holding its postseason tournament at a neutral site location this season. Normally predicting the CBI and CIT tournaments are difficult because there is no set criteria and there are so many factors that go into receiving and accepting bids to these tournaments. However, this year in particular with the pandemic, all of the economic implications, and all of the game cancelations there are even more factors that are in play for who will be going to the CBI. Therefore, don’t be surprised if the field looks a bit unusual this year.

The CBI usually hosts a 16 team tournament, but based on the information I am hearing behind the scenes I would be very surprised if the Gazelle Group does that this year. I think it will be an eight team tournament.

College Basketball Invitational (8 teams)

• California Baptist (12-8 WAC)
• North Alabama (12-10 ASUN)
• Texas State (18-6 Sun Belt)
• Abilene Christian (20-4 Southland)
• Army (11-8 Patriot)
• Cleveland State (17-7 Horizon)
• The Citadel (12-11 SoCon)
• UC Santa Barbra (17-4 Big West)

*Cleveland State and UC Santa Barbra are conference champions, but since there is no NIT automatic qualifiers this year I am predicting if they do not win their respective conference tournaments they will not receive an NIT at large bid.

Some other teams I personally am keeping an eye on in this final week

• Eastern Kentucky (20-6 OVC)
• Bryant (14-5 NEC)
• Oral Roberts (13-10 Summit)
• Washington State (14-12 Pac 12)
• Nevada (14-9 Mountain West)
• UMass Lowell (10-11 America East)
• Missouri State (16-6 MVC)
• Merrimack (9-9 NEC)
• Duke (11-10) Just for fun, not serious on this one. Though record wise they are perfect for the CBI, and we all know they have the money.
• Georgia (14-10 SEC)

My CBI and CIT prediction rate per year

2018: 75% (27/36)

2019: 93% (39/42)

*2020: Minimum of 88% It was later determined three days from selection Sunday (at the time of the cancelations) I had correctly predicted what would have been 37 of the 42 teams confirmed in the fields. I have reason to believe over those next three days I could have predicted even more of what would have been the eventual fields.