TOM Crean is furious with college basketball teams declining invitations to the NIT tournament.

The NCAA Tournament field for March Madness was selected on Sunday night, and many teams hopeful for a bid were left out of the field.

Tom Crean slammed NCAA teams who decline NIT tournament bidsCredit: Getty

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St. Johns is among the teams who declined their bid to the NITCredit: Getty
Of the teams not selected for March Madness, 32 of them are sent bids to the NIT tournament, which is basically the little brother to the NCAA tournament.

However, many teams who feel that they were snubbed from March Madness will decline their bids to the NIT to focus of recruiting and other functions for next season.

Among the notable teams who declined NIT bids were St. Johns, Pitt, Memphis, Ole Miss, Indiana, and Oklahoma.

ESPN’s Tom Crean, a former head coach at Marquette, Indiana, and Georgia, blasted these teams over their decision to sit out of the tournament, claiming they are hurting their players.

“I would want to coach, I would want to develop my team, you’ve got bigger staffs than you’ve ever had, there’s plenty of time for the portal, there’s plenty of time to talk to recruits, there’s plenty of time to negotiate NIL deals,” Crean said.

“There’s not plenty of time to play, there’s not plenty of time of time to get your players on the floor and give them a chance to get better.

“There’s not plenty of time for guys to continue to play that may never get to play again, and that to me is absolutely ridiculous. It’s each coach’s choice, I get it.

“But you take away a chance to play the games and put your team on the floor … give your players and coaches a chance to keep coaching and playing … if a guy doesn’t want to play, go sit down.”

Crean made multiple appearances in the NIT as a head coach, three with Marquette and one with Indiana.

Fans were divided on the subject, with some seeing the reasoning for declining the NIT and others thinking teams should play the tournament.

“I totally agree with Tom Crean here. I know some teams are disappointed, but prove Selection Committee wrong and win the NIT and it gives a boost for the next season,” one fan said.

“It’s an interesting perspective coming from the former IU coach when IU was one that opted out. The one that hits the most with me is letting players play that won’t ever play again. I see both sides of it, not really sure which side I lie on,” another fan said.

“Pitt declined the NIT invitation. Good for them. It’s a waste of everyone’s time,” a third fan said.

“In all honesty, get rid of the NIT Tournament,” a fourth fan said.

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Pitt basketball was in the first four out of the NCAA tournament and declined the NIT