Writing about coaches who might be out of work next summer, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Mike Jensen makes the following comments about UMass’ Steve Lappas :
Lappas topped a lot of lists with his bet on his own future. To avoid getting bought out after last season, the former Villanova coach agreed that UMass wouldn’t owe him for the last two years of his contract if the Minutemen don’t make a postseason tournament this year. How’s it looking? Despite victories over Connecticut and at George Washington, UMass is 10-8 and is in danger of finishing fourth in the Atlantic Ten East behind Fordham, and the Mullins Center isn’t exactly rocking. We think the Minutemen will finish over .500, making them eligible for the NIT, but will the NIT want them? Our advice to Lappas: Tell tourney officials you’ll buy $50,000 worth of tickets. That should get you in.
Ahem. Following today’s convincing 74-58 demolition of St. Bonnies, the Minutemen (above) are 11-8. If they run the table, they’ll be 19-8 heading into the Atlantic 10 tournament.
On second thought, I like Jensen’s idea about buying $50K worth of NIT tickets.