Inside the Article:
Detroit Mercy has been left out of the CBI tournament, leaving their star guard, Antoine Davis, just shy of breaking “Pistol” Pete Maravich's scoring record. The CBI expressed interest in UDM after their loss to Youngstown State in the Horizon League tournament but ultimately never formally offered the team a contract, according to Tony Paul of the Detroit News.
Why it matters
Davis, fell just three points shy of tying and four from passing “Pistol” Pete Maravich's college basketball scoring record after the Titans were left out of the 16-team College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tournament. Despite securing donor help to cover the entry fee, the CBI took two other Horizon League teams with worse NET rankings than UDM, leaving the Titans out. Davis finishes his five-year career with 3,664 points, just three shy of Maravich's 3,667.
Key Points
- UDM was left out of the 16-team CBI tournament.
- The CBI expressed interest in UDM after the team's loss to Youngstown State in the Horizon League tournament.
- The CBI never formally offered UDM a contract, despite the team securing donor help to cover the entry fee.
- The CBI took two other Horizon League teams with worse NET rankings than UDM.
- Antoine Davis finishes his five-year career with 3,664 points, just three shy of Maravich's 3,667.
Big Picture: CBI's Controversial Snub of Detroit Mercy, Antoine Davis
The controversy surrounding the CBI's interest and subsequent snub of UDM is significant because it leaves Davis just shy of breaking “Pistol” Pete Maravich's college basketball scoring record. While some debated whether playing one more game to get Davis the record would be “cheap,” the CBI's decision to take two other teams with worse NET rankings than UDM raises questions about why they really left UDM out.
CBI Tournament By the Numbers
UDM finished the season ranked 212th in the NET rankings.
- The CBI requires teams to pay an entry fee of $27,500.
- Four teams in the CBI have worse NET rankings than UDM: Southern Indiana (257), South Carolina Upstate (255), North Alabama (239), and Western Carolina (229).
Bottom Line: Antoine Davis finishes just short of record
The CBI's selection process and entry fee requirements favor teams with .500 or above records, which may not accurately reflect the strongest teams. The fact that the CBI took two other Horizon League teams with worse NET rankings than Detroit Mercy suggests that the selection process may not be entirely merit-based. So, with that being said, Davis will remain three points shy of Pistol Pete's all-time scoring record.
