Rams Ready to Shift Focus to NIT Selection

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Playing more games was the most important aspect for Niko Medved.

Sure, the Colorado State men's basketball coach and his team would have loved to be selected to the NCAA Tournament's field of 68 – which still may be a possibility – but the idea of being No. 1 seed in the National Invitational Tournament and continuing the progress of the program is welcomed.

"We didn't get to play in the postseason last year, and that's what everybody really wants," Medved said. "You're hopeful that, how can we find a way here to regroup, get back on the practice court and can you find a way to turn it up a notch to really try to play your best this time of the year. The seasons are long and bodies are tired, but so is everybody. You get that second wind again here in the postseason.

"It is important, and that's the way we continue to frame it for our guys, and we will. I think they will; I think they'll do it and I think they'll come out and play really, really hard."

Colorado State (18-6) is slated to play No. 4 Buffalo (16-8) on Friday at 5 p.m. at the UNT Coliseum in Denton, Texas; the game will be televised on ESPN2. With a win, the Rams would advance to play the winner of the Davidson (13-8)-North Carolina State (13-10) game on March 25 at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas (either at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.). The NIT semifinals will be held March 27, with the championship game the following day. The final three rounds will all be broadcast on ESPN.

There is still a slight possibility the Rams could make the NCAA field as they were listed as the second alternate behind Louisville, should teams run into COVID-19 problems and not be able to play. The NCAA will lock the tournament bracket on Tuesday night.

Medved doesn't believe it is likely two teams will drop out, so he's shifting all of attention toward the NIT tournament and the matchup with Buffalo. Until then, the Rams will remain in Las Vegas, practicing at UNLV before departing Wednesday. Medved said the team will likely take Monday off, but will practice the next two days before traveling. They would get a practice in on Thursday before Friday's game.

Forward David Roddy agreed. Even though it would be a shot of adrenaline to go to Indianapolis, they are preparing their focus on moving on to Texas and making a run at that tournament title. There is disappointment, for sure, but to be successful in their draw, they need to shift gears in short order.

"Almost immediate," Roddy said. "Right after the selection show ended, we kind of knew we were in the NIT, and so we're just going to use that motivation to fuel us during the NIT and how many games we play."

Medved knows that's not exactly an easy task, and he's pretty sure ignoring those feeling would be detrimental, anyway.

It would discount the work the team put in this season to achieve a goal and dream of reaching the NCAA Tournament, yet he's also confident his team will rebound, as he's seen them do prior. He also anticipates it will take longer for some than others.

"I think it's a process. I think everybody handles it different," Medved said. "I don't know that there's a manual of doing that. I've always tried to be as a coach to try to be real with the guys. You can't hide from the disappointment that you feel, but you just try to be real with them about where you're at and what's in front of you. The time keeps going by and you keep looking at what didn't happen, but start to really focus on the opportunity you have in front of you and how lucky you really are to do that. I think you'll go and attack it. This group has always been able to do that, and I have no doubt that we will. I think that's a process, and I don't know that there's a switch that you just flip, but I'm confident we'll do that."

The Rams have already been on the road for a week, and the NIT will only extend their hotel stay. Roddy said he's almost run out of laundry, but the team did some on Sunday. Adam Thistlewood said he's been doing homework, as they all have their own rooms.

It's been a long stretch away from home, but the chance to play more games with this team and move the program forward is a welcomed chance.

"It's super important," Thistlewood said. "The disappointment we had today, it will be important to get some games in and prove why we deserve in the tournament we're in now."

Colorado State is 7-9 all-time in the NIT, and this will be the team's 10^th appearance in the tournament in 21 postseason trips. The Rams' last trip to the NIT was in 2017, when they beat Charleston in the opening round. Their best NIT finish was third in 1988.

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