If Syracuse basketball didn’t opt out, would it have made NIT? Examining the field.

Syracuse basketball decided to opt out of playing in the 2024 NIT, assuming it would have received an invitation to the 32-team event.

But if the Orange didn’t make that decision, would the ‘Cuse have heard its name called on Sunday evening for the NIT?

We’ll never know for sure, but my sense is that the Orange would have been selected. In the days leading up to the NIT’s bracket reveal on Sunday night, multiple experts projected that Syracuse basketball would get an invite.

I know that it’s a moot point now, as the Orange’s 2023-24 season is over. With the transfer portal opening on Monday, and the ‘Cuse roster depleted by injuries and other factors, perhaps it made sense for Syracuse basketball to focus on the next term at this juncture.

In any event, I got curious about the NIT and whether the Orange would have made the cut. So I did a bit of research on the field, as well as various other squads that elected not to participate, again, assuming they would have secured an NIT berth.

Syracuse basketball has finished its 2023-24 season.

Below, I’ve listed all 32 teams in the 2024 NIT along with a handful of schools that, like the ‘Cuse, opted out of potentially playing in this event.

I included every group’s overall record to date and NCAA NET ranking on Monday when I wrote this column.

A couple of tidbits to pass along. The three Atlantic Coast Conference teams that will play in the NIT, along with Pittsburgh, which opted out, all had a higher NET ranking than the Orange.

Syracuse basketball, for comparison’s sake, has an overall record of 20-12 and a NET of No. 84. If you look at the Orange’s record against NIT participants, the ‘Cuse is 4-2.

Regarding selected NIT participants and some other teams that opted out:
•At least 19 teams had a worse record than the Orange.
•At least eight teams had a worse NET than the ‘Cuse.

To reiterate, we’ll never know for sure, but my gut tells me that if Syracuse basketball said it would compete in the 2024 NIT, it would have been selected for this event.

No. 1 seeds
Seton Hall, 20-12, No. 67 in NET
Wake Forest, 20-13, No. 43 in NET
Indiana State, 28-6, No. 28 in NET
Villanova, 18-15, No. 41 in NET

No. 2 seeds
Princeton, 24-4, No. 55 in NET
Cincinnati, 20-14, No. 37 in NET
Utah, 19-14, No. 48 in NET
Ohio State, 20-13, No. 49 in NET

No. 3 seeds
Providence, 21-13, No. 58 in NET
Virginia Tech, 18-14, No. 60 in NET
Iowa, 18-14, No. 62 in NET
Bradley, 22-11, No. 57 in NET

No. 4 seeds
LSU, 17-15, No. 94 in NET
Georgia, 17-16, No. 100 in NET
Butler, 18-14, No. 68 in NET
UCF, 17-15, No. 61 in NET

Remaining participants
North Texas, 18-14, No. 79 in NET
Boston College, 19-15, No. 81 in NET
Xavier, 16-17, No. 64 in NET
Richmond, 23-9, No. 73 in NET
Cornell, 22-7, No. 95 in NET
Minnesota, 18-14, No. 89 in NET
Kansas State, 19-14, No. 70 in NET
South Florida, 24-7, No. 78 in NET
UC Irvine, 24-9, No. 77 in NET
Saint Joseph’s, 21-13, No. 92 in NET
UNLV, 19-12, No. 76 in NET
Appalachian State, 27-6, No. 72 in NET
SMU, 20-12, No. 65 in NET
Loyola Chicago, 23-9, No. 85 in NET
San Francisco, 23-10, No. 66 in NET
VCU, 22-13, No. 71 in NET

Syracuse basketball results versus teams in the field
Wake Forest, 0-1
Virginia Tech, 1-0
LSU, 1-0
Boston College, 1-1
Cornell, 1-0

Some other teams that opted out
Pittsburgh, 22-11, No. 40 in NET
St. John’s, 20-13, No. 32 in NET
Oklahoma, 20-12, No. 46 in NET
Memphis, 22-10, No. 75 in NET
Ole Miss, 20-12, No. 90 in NET
Indiana, 19-14, No. 98 in NET