The Huskies are not even a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament. Washington is probably in the next jump out from that. Which means Washington will assuredly miss the March Madness and won't hear their names called during the Selection Show later this afternoon. However, there's still a strong probability they get invited to one of the other postseason tournaments.
First, and this is an important note, for one reason, the CBI is not being played this year, so it actually limits the number of teams that are invited into a postseason tournament. But could the Huskies get into the NIT or the Crown Invitational?
The NIT is not a realistic option, but it could be an option. The NIT typically takes the regular season champs that don't make the NCAA Tournament, and bubble teams that also get excluded from the NCAA Tournament. The tournament is mostly looking for teams above .500 to fill the 32 available seeds. Washington's 16-17 record is a bit underwhelming. However, don't rule it all the way out because of the Crown Invitational.
Selection Sunday won't matter for the Huskies unless another tournament invites them
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The new tournament on the market is the Crown Invitational, and the structure of the tournament actually takes the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East that miss the NCAA Tournament, and then a couple of flyers that they feel could upset the above teams.
If we assume that every Big Ten team makes the tournament in the Big Ten Standings from Michigan to Iowa. That leaves Indiana, USC, and Washington as the next best three records. The Crown would probably take Indiana and USC if they both opt in. If one of them opts out, that leaves a spot for Washington.
However, if the crown takes those two teams, in a weak field this year, don't be surprised to see Washington get an NIT invite. Then the question will become, does Danny Sprinkle take it? Should the Huskies take it? The team only has seven healthy players, so it's a gamble, but those seven players have played their guts out the last few weeks. Don't they deserve a little extra run? Or does the immediate attention turn to the offseason?
Today, the Huskies may end up having a choice at the postseason, and it will be interesting to see what Sprinkle and company do.