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Belmont, which is losing longtime coach Casey Alexander, won’t participate in NIT

By The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Belmont, which is losing longtime coach Casey Alexander to Kansas State, won’t participate in the postseason NIT, the university announced Saturday.

The Bruins won the regular-season Missouri Valley Conference title this season before losing to Drake in the conference tournament.

Alexander, who led the Bruins to 166 wins and four conference titles in seven seasons, on Friday agreed to a five-year deal with Kansas State that will pay him $3.3 million for the upcoming season.

“In light of recent developments, Belmont University men’s basketball has elected not to participate in the Postseason NIT,” Belmont said Saturday in a statement. “We appreciate the meaningful dialogue and consideration postseason tournament committees have extended Belmont throughout the year.”

The 53-year-old Alexander is 303-180 in 15 years as a head coach, including stops at Stetson and Lipscomb before Belmont. He won at least 20 games in each of his seven seasons with Belmont.

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NCAA remains on track to expand to a 76-team March Madness bracket for next season

By The Associated Press
The NCAA is still deliberating expanding March Madness on both the men's and women's sides to 76 teams for next season — a much-expected development that's been in the works for years. The NCAA released a brief statement Tuesday in the wake of an ESPN report that cited unnamed sources saying a decision to add eight teams to the bracket is a mere formality that's expected in May. “Expanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men’s and women’s basketball committees, and no final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time,” the statement said. Earlier this month at the Final Four, NCAA President Charlie Baker said the committees would, in fact, return to discussing the expansion once this year's tournament was over.
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