Why do we play Belmont twice this year?

[VolAce]

Just looking over the UT Mens BBall schedule during halftime and I noticed we have to play Belmont twice this year. I realize the first time came during a tourney, but you would think the second game would be canceled before the season started once we knew we were matching up with them in the NIT. It just seems like they are the type of team we would not want to play twice. We dont really gain anything from playing them more than once and they have the potential to pull off an upset. I know we played Gonzaga twice a few years back, and if Im not mistaken we lost both times... However, Gonzaga has a more prestigious basketball program and winning could have significantly helped our RPI as well as how recruits view our program. Not so much with Bemont, so why do we play them twice? :ermm:

 

[EvanStalcup1990]

once in the tourny and once in regular season play.

 

[MY3*VOLS]

two wins

 

[TennesseeFan07]

Can someone tell me why they didn't just switch Belmont and another team in the group play of the NIT? Was it for traveling purposes?

 

[CardassianVol]

You don't just duck out of a game with no good reason. Hamilton would never do such a thing. Seriously, this is no big deal. Playing a good mid major team twice is a good test and surely it helps our RPI more than playing UT-Martin.

 

[VolAce]

You don't just duck out of a game with no good reason. Hamilton would never do such a thing. Seriously, this is no big deal. Playing a good mid major team twice is a good test and surely it helps our RPI more than playing UT-Martin.

*cough* UNC *cough*

No doubt it helps more than playing UT-Martin, but why not an ACC team, perhaps VT? Or even a different mid-major

 

[Shaun1985]

Pretty sure Tennessee or Belmont didn't have a hand in the matter because I remember reading an article where the Belmont coach was unhappy to play Tennessee twice in the same season. He was wanting the same by switching the teams up. Either way, Belmont would have probably won their first round game anyways and faced Tennessee regardless. I wouldn't believe the NIT would make you play out of district in the opening games.

 

[atxvol2010]

I think this is a great non-conference game for us, Belmont is very well coached and gave us a major challenge.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Because thems the cards we were dealt.
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[KingNick865]

Can someone tell me why they didn't just switch Belmont and another team in the group play of the NIT? Was it for traveling purposes?

I'm still not sure about that. Belmont informed the NIT that it plays Tennessee anyways and would have liked another opponent.

 

[StarRaider]

Belmont has been killing teams since they lost to us.

 

[UTvol1fn]

something you definitely don't see very often. regardless, it should be a good test for us.