The history of the Big Sky Tournament proves that hosting it doesn't guarantee winning it. Last year I went back through all the old tournament records and found that right before the 2011 tournament the host team had won it 17 times and teams other than the host had won it 18 times. UNC winning it at their own place last year made it an even 18 and 18, and after last night it is 19 for the host team and 17 for non-host teams.
I think I read today that this will be UM's 9th trip to the NCAAs, and I know we haven't hosted the tournament 9 times. Last night was the first time since 1992 that UM hosted and won the tournament. Between 1992 and last night, UM won the Big Sky Tournament at other venues five times. One of those times was in Ogden and it made a huge impression on Lillard, who to his credit was pretty candid with the press last night about how much it hurt not to be able to return the favor.
Teams have come back from as deep in the field as the sixth seed (Nevada-Reno in 1986) and the fifth seed (UM in 2002) to win it.
The point is, a lot of things have to go right in the regular season to win the right to host the tournament, and even when you host it you are still at serious risk of having a non-host step in and win it on your own floor. This whole season, including protecting our home floor during the tournament, has been a hell of an accomplishment.
I think I read today that this will be UM's 9th trip to the NCAAs, and I know we haven't hosted the tournament 9 times. Last night was the first time since 1992 that UM hosted and won the tournament. Between 1992 and last night, UM won the Big Sky Tournament at other venues five times. One of those times was in Ogden and it made a huge impression on Lillard, who to his credit was pretty candid with the press last night about how much it hurt not to be able to return the favor.
Teams have come back from as deep in the field as the sixth seed (Nevada-Reno in 1986) and the fifth seed (UM in 2002) to win it.
The point is, a lot of things have to go right in the regular season to win the right to host the tournament, and even when you host it you are still at serious risk of having a non-host step in and win it on your own floor. This whole season, including protecting our home floor during the tournament, has been a hell of an accomplishment.
