Happening Hoops CBI/The Basketball Classic Bracketology #5 2022
By: Ethan Hennessy
The big news is that the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament is done. CollegeInsider.com now instead is starting a 32 team tournament called “The Basketball Classic presented by Eracism”.
“The Basketball Classic field will be announced after the field for the NIT is released on
March 13. The tournament will begin on Monday, March 14 with the semifinals scheduled
for Tuesday, March 29th and the Championship Game on Thursday, March 31st.
Each game of the Basketball Classic will be held on the campus of one of the participating
schools. All gate receipts will be collected by the Basketball Classic, enabling a wider range
of schools to participate. Schools can host Classic games without the responsibility of an
additional financial commitment.
All games will be broadcast on the ESPN+ platform.
Administering the Basketball Classic is a seasoned panel with deep roots in the sport that
previously conducted the College Insider, Inc. Postseason Tournament from 2009-19.” – The Basketball Classic presented by Eracism Press Release on Feburary 9th 2022
If you are new here I predict the fields of the College Basketball Invitational and CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments. This is my fifth season doing this. I have a career 87% accuracy rate (111/128).
Yearly breakdown
2018: 75% (27/36)
2019: 93% (39/42)
*2020: 88% minimum *It was later determined three days from Selection Sunday (at the time of the cancelations) I had already correctly predicted 37 of the would-be 42 teams confirmed in the fields.
2021: 100% (8/8)
*Teams that are currently ranked first in their respective conference standings are not included in the CBI/CIT Bracketology because if the season were to end today they would receive their league’s automatic NIT bid in the event they do not win their conference tournament.
The CBI announced the entirety of their 16 team tournament will take place in Daytona Beach Florida at the Ocean Center from March 19th – 23rd. This was the site of last year’s College Basketball Invitational.
I strive to predict these brackets as accurately as possible if you are associated with a program and have information about a team’s status regarding the CBI or The Basketball Classic feel free to DM me on Twitter @HappeningHoops or email me at HappeningHoops@gmail.com I don’t publicize information I receive unless you want me to.
College Basketball Invitational (CBI 16 Teams Daytona Beach Florida)
- Jacksonville (14-8 ASUN)
- Bellarmine (13-11 ASUN)
- Campbell (13-8 Big South)
- Delaware (15-8 CAA)
- James Madison (13-9 CAA)
- FAU (15-9 CUSA)
- Oakland (16-7 Horizon)
- Monmouth (15-8 MAAC)
- Bryant (14-8 NEC)
- Navy (16-8 Patriot)
- Army (13-11 Patriot)
- Kansas City (16-9 Summit)
- South Alabama (15-8 Sun Belt)
- Coastal Carolina (12-10 Sun Belt)
- Grand Canyon (16-5 WAC)
- California Baptist (12-11 WAC)
The Basketball Classic (32 Teams Campus Sites)
East
- Stony Brook (13-10 America East)
- Towson (17-7 CAA)
- Hofstra (15-9 CAA)
- Princeton (16-5 Ivy)
- Harvard (11-8 Ivy)
- Howard (11-10 MEAC)
- Loyola MD (13-10 Patriot)
- Boston (16-9 Patriot)
Midwest
- Youngstown State (14-10 Horizon)
- Northern Iowa (13-9 MVC)
- North Dakota State (17-9 Summit)
- Western Illinois (14-10 Summit)
South
- Florida Gulf Coast (15-9 ASUN)
- Winthrop (15-8 Big South)
- Rice (14-9 CUSA)
- South Carolina State (12-11 MEAC)
- VMI (14-10 SoCon)
- Wofford (14-10 SoCon)
- Texas A&M CC (16-7 Southland)
- Nichols State (14-9 Southland)
- Texas Southern (10-10 SWAC)
- Arkansas State (15-6 Sun Belt)
- Texas State (15-6 Sun Belt)
- Stephen F Austin (15-8 WAC)
- Abilene Christian (16-7 WAC)
West
- Montana State (18-5 Big Sky)
- Southern Utah (15-7 Big Sky)
- UC Riverside (12-7 Big West)
- CSU Fullerton (14-7 Big West)
- Santa Clara (17-8 WCC)
- Seattle (17-6 WAC)
- UTEP (14-9 CUSA)
Happening Hoops 
5 Comments
Nothing in the press release says The Basketball Classic will not be open to the 10 “larger” conferences as was the case with the CIT. That makes me wonder whether we might see a team like Washington (currently 13-10 v Division I opponents and NET ranking of 128) in TBC.
I’m not sure how clear the CIT was with that rule. C-USA was mentioned as a “major” conference banned from the CIT in early releases by CollegeInsider.com, but Florida Atlantic, Florida International and Marshall were all invited in 2019. They also had UTSA in the tournament in 2018. There was never a Power 5 or Big East school in the CIT. So, maybe the C-USA just isn’t thought to be major anymore. With the changes coming up on the horizon, the quality of play in C-USA in the future should certainly be expected to decline. They’re clearly the biggest loser in the current round of Texas-Oklahoma induced realignment.
I wouldn’t mind seeing a team like Washington in TBC, but I would not like to to come at the expense of a 20-win team that gets excluded from postseason play completely.
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That is a good point! Thanks for bringing it to my attention I will ask them about that. Washington’s metrics have been in that range where they would be a good addition.
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If Penn wins the Ivy, do you think Yale goes to the NIT?
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I should have been more clear. Penn has won five straight, already beaten Yale at home and is at Yale Friday night. So, they have a great shot at finishing first and could certainly then win Ivy Madness. If Yale loses the Ivy tournament final and finishes 19-11, do you think they get an at-large Ivy bid?
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I think it would be unlikely Yale gets in the NIT if they don’t win the Ivy League regular season. Usually, some quality mid majors sneak in as at larges on the six line, but I think there are a lot of teams ahead Yale currently for that. If you aren’t aware of them already NY Buckets, The Barking Crow, and DRatings all do NIT bracketology.
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