It may raise at least one eyebrow to learn that no team in college basketball has won more College Basketball Invitational Tournament games than Coastal Carolina, victorious in eight contests over the span of three invitations. However, the Chanticleers have never won it all (twice runners up). No Sun Belt team has. That may give the Red Wolves some extra incentive when they sneaker-up for the CBI opener against Bethune-Cookman in Daytona on Saturday.

Unlike the film “Anaconda,” the CBI isn’t inexplicably fielding an A-list cast of brand names. When was the last time you thought about Quinnipiac basketball? Or Fairfield? Or UC-San Diego (not to be confused with San Diego or San Diego State)? In a world where 362 programs are assigned an NCAA NET ranking, you’re forgiven if you’ve lost track of Cleveland State or High Point.

However, you will find that most of those seeded in CBI (which is sponsored by Ro) are evenly-ish matched. Some of the lower seeds are NET 300s (including Bethune-Cookman, sporting a SWAC-tastic 308), but many programs hover in Arkansas State’s territory of NET 148 (High Point 110, Seattle 119, Quinnipiac 160, etc.). By virtue of sporting the tournament’s best NET, High Point earned the CBI’s lone BYE.

Let’s Take A Look at the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman

The Wildcats are the tournament’s unofficial home team, with Bethune-Cookman founded by “an exceptional young Black woman, Mary McLeod Bethune” at Daytona Beach, Florida in 1904. Flash forward 120 years later, and we find the Wildcats basketball team short one win from earning an AQ in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Grambling in the SWAC finale – a similar fate to Arkansas State, who also fell in the conference finals.

Bethune-Cookman and Arkansas State share a regular season opponent – Jackson State, who the Wildcats crisply dispatched 82-71. You may recall, with some chagrin, that the Red Wolves fell at home to Jackson State 75-71. However, at that time Arkansas State was still a fledgling team discovering roles. But a loss is a loss, and surely Wildcats head coach Reggie Theus will remind his team about that particular embarrasement.

The Wildcats are led by sophomore guard Jakobi Heady, a 6’6″ scorer who averages 15 points per game. Bethune-Cookman can field a little size when it wants to, especially when seven-foot sophomore Elijah Hulsewe sees action. But this team appears to be more a team of shooters, averaging better than 70 points per contest on 43% shooting from the field. A man to look out for – Derrick Carter-Hollinger Jr., a 6’6″ senior guard who comes off the bench and brings firepower.

What Are We Doing Here?

Though Arkansas State has flirted with off-Broadway postseason basketball tournaments in the past, this is actually the first time in 25 years the Red Wolves have actually participated in one (you may recall the last time was 1999 for the program’s one and only selection to The Dance). Without the massive ad revenue generated by NCAA Tournament, the CBI kindly requests an entry fee of $27,500 to participate. And yeah, it’s worth writing the check.

After all, in an age when even the most mildly talented athlete can earn a hefty sum from a deep-pocketed program, the incentive to keep players on the court and in their jersey’s for a little longer is great. It helps that the CBI tournament is held at Daytona rather than Dayton. Recent history has shown us that unchaperoned Red Wolves during spring break can lead to defections to Miami.

Is this one last opportunity to pad resumes before the off season begins? Cynically speaking, sure, for players and coach. Bryan Hodgson’s star has never been brighter, and a few wins in an off-brand tournament would only add more feathers to a hat growing in size. It’s not a bad stage for players, either. While the opening rounds are streaming on a seldom used channel, the semi-finals and finals will be hosted on ESPN2 – fine exposure for a player looking to add to his reel.

But from a pure-hearted perspective, participating in the CBI is a chance to demonstrate that Arkansas State is, after a long absence, back on the basketball scene. Should we lose to Bethune-Cookman, or to whomever wins between Montana and Presbyterian, it will only go noticed by those with a subscription to FloHoops, surely a limited circle. Should the Red Wolves perform well, or even win, the program continues to merit positive discussion. What better method by which to commit your talented team for another year than by shellacking it with positive energy?

Embrace the CBI, Red Wolves fans. Take special note that UA Little Rock is positioned on the other end of the bracket – and that Arkansas State may have a chance to avenge a bitter loss in the CBI finals. Revenge, after all, is a dish best served on the beach in the golden glow of a Floridian sun.

Red Wolves take on the Wildcats Saturday, 12:00 PM Central, on the FloHoops streaming network.

PHOTO CREDITS: Sun Belt Media