After failing to gain a place Sunday in the 32-team field for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), the University of Denver and coach Joe Scott announced that DU’s season is over.
The Pioneers had their best-ever season in terms of victories, winning a school-record 22 games. Nineteen of the teams selected to the NIT had fewer victories than the Pioneers.
“We are disappointed that we will not be participating in the NIT,” Scott said in a prepared statement. “We went 10-3 against one of the hardest nonconference schedules in team history, and we beat three NCAA Tournament teams.”
During the season, DU beat Southern Mississippi 59-52, Saint Mary’s 70-58 and Western Kentucky 78-65. All three qualified to play in the NCAA Tournament.
But the Pioneers were guilty of missing a golden opportunity to make the NCAA field but failed to win the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. As the third seed, they lost to Western Kentucky in a semifinal game with Middle Tennessee and Arkansas Little Rock, the top two seeds, already eliminated.
By announcing the season is over, DU isn’t seeking a place in other postseason tournaments, including the College Basketball Invitational.
Wyoming accepted an invitation to the CBI, and the Cowboys (20-11) will play host to North Dakota State on Wednesday.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
