The North Florida Ospreys no longer control their own postseason tournament destiny after being humiliated by the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles in front of 4,305 stunned fans Thursday night.
Despite the A-Sun semifinal loss, the Osprey’s season will continue.
The Osprey’s regular season championship guarantees them a spot in the NIT tournament. The NIT is the less-prestigious, B-level tournament subordinate to the NCAA March Madness.
All regular-season champions automatically qualify for the NIT, and a committee selects the best available remaining teams to fill the field. The NIT Selection Committee will make their choices March 11-13. First round games will be played March 15 and 16, and the higher-seeded team will have the option to host during the first three rounds. The four quarterfinal winners will face off at New York City’s Madison Square Garden March 29, and the championship will be March 31.
The Osprey’s fate will be determined Sunday, when FGCU battles Stetson for the conference title in Fort Myers, FL.
Stetson, who defeated Lipscomb to advance to the championship, is in the midst of a year-long postseason ban after they failed to meet the NCAA’s academic progress rate before the season.
If the Hatters win Sunday they will be ineligible for the March tournament, and replaced by UNF because of their regular season title.
With a win, FGCU will take the coveted March Madness bid, and break UNF’s heart for the second time this week.
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