Non-Conference Tournaments Good For Teams As Well As Fans

College basketball tournaments around the holidays good for teams and fans

The holidays are usually meant for family and food, but in the college basketball world it means non-conference tournaments. In a world where trips to Maui, the Bahamas and New York were dream destinations, the tournament scene has turned to many more locations with events happening all over the country. It used to be just the top teams playing in tournaments, but it has opened up to mid-major teams and it seems like you are more likely to play in one than not. Mid-major teams get a chance to travel to play teams on their same level they normally wouldn’t play, while the big conference teams get a shot to see how they stack up against the other leagues. At the Ft. Myers Tip-Off this year, the Big Ten, ACC, Big East and SEC were all represented.

Teams get a chance to get a feel for what March Madness would be like if they are lucky enough to make the cut for the tournament.

They play two of three games in a three day stretch and get to learn a lot about the depth of their team and coaches get a shot to see what payers can step up for them.

Players spend a lot of time together during the season, but traveling for a tournament can be different. They spend multiple days away from home with each other and teams can grow closer.

Michigan head coach Dusty May commented on the early season tournaments, “Our guys have grown together even more just simply by being in an isolated environment for a week.”

He added that “When you have good guys, you grow and you enjoy that time together because they are quality people.”

It is a great opportunity for teams to travel to a place they wouldn’t normally go and play against teams that wouldn’t normally be on their schedule. It is a win for each team that gets to travel to a tournament even if they take a loss or two.

While it is great for every team that competes, it is also great for the fans. A lot of schools have fans spread out across the country and when they travel to these different destinations it gives them an opportunity to see their favorite school live when they might not normally get that chance.

This week at the Ft. Myers Tip-Off Michigan and Xavier packed Suncoast Arena in Ft. Myers, FL for a raucous championship game that felt more like a NCAA Tournament game than a holiday tournament.

The Wolverines and their rebuilt roster under new head coach Dusty May dominated the Musketeers to pick at 78-53 win. The Wolverines got a big ranked win and the experience that comes along with winning at tournament. In a year when the Wolverines needed a pick me up after last year the early season tournament is exactly what they needed.

Playing for a championship also makes games mean more for teams that might not have a chance otherwise.

Michigan forward Danny Wolfe commented, “Playing for a little bit more just makes it more exciting. Getting to play for a trophy just means more.”

Florida is a great state to retire to, but fans of northern schools don’t have the opportunity to see their teams play. The closest major college to Ft. Myers is USF or Miami and they rarely host a team like Michigan.

The schools come play in there preseason tournaments and gives fans that live around there a chance to see them, or fans can follow and make it a vacation. It may seem simple, but it runs to a great chance for a family of fans to get a special way to watch their favorite team.

Watching your favorite team at home is the best, but there is just something different with a neutral site game and making your team feel like its a home game.

Games feel different on a neutral court and not knowing who next opponent is makes thing interesting and the adjustments that must be made in a short time really show what a team is really made of.

The early season tournaments give everybody that opportunity, plus games are played all day long and who doesn’t love basketball during the afternoon. It recreates one of the best times of the year in the NCAA Tournament and we all get to experience it during the holidays. It’s a win for everyone.

We get to see upsets and mini Cinderella runs in the tournaments and also get huge non-conference matchups. If you are a college basketball fan it is the second best time of the year.

Enjoy it while you can.

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