PROVO — For the first time since 2004-05, BYU won’t be participating in the NCAA Tournament or the National Invitation Tournament.
The Cougars were sitting on the NIT bubble but they were left out of the 32-team field Sunday.
As a result, BYU's 13-year streak of 20-win seasons was also snapped and its 19-13 campaign came to an end.
Sunday night, not long after the NIT selection show concluded, athletic director Tom Holmoe released a statement regarding a possible invitation to postseason tournaments — the CBI and CIT.
"The primary focus of the BYU basketball programs is to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, or as a secondary option the National Invitation Tournament,” Holmoe said. “With that in mind, we have determined that our men’s basketball team will not participate in the other postseason events this year.”
The CBI requires teams to pay $50,000 to participate. Loyola Marymount of the West Coast Conference and Utah Valley University of the Western Athletic Conference both accepted bids to the CBI.
While BYU was not invited to the NIT, one WCC program was — San Diego. The Toreros, who were the No. 7 seed in the WCC Tournament, are a No. 6 seed in the NIT. USD visits No. 3 Memphis in the first round.
The Cougars swept the Toreros during the regular season, but USD thumped BYU in the WCC Tournament quarterfinals in Las Vegas, 80-57. San Diego led by as many as 44 in the second half.
Perhaps the Toreros’ overwhelming victory over the Cougars was the difference between the two programs’ postseason fates.
While San Diego won three of its final four games, BYU lost three of its final four games.
The Cougars now turn their attention to the future and there could be plenty of changes during the offseason.
Guard Jahshire Hardnett announced last week that he will transfer while forward Yoeli Childs, BYU's leading scorer and rebounder, is expected to forgo his senior season and pursue a professional basketball career.
Guard Jesse Wade, a Gonzaga transfer who redshirted this season, will be eligible to play for the Cougars next season.