From a Terp Perspective
I believe people have forgotten the history of the NIT and think of it as being a consolation prize for teams that couldn’t “hack it” in the NCAA tournament. This opinion isn’t limited to fans. Maryland was a #1 seed in 2006 and got drummed out in the first round by Manhattan. The players didn’t take the opportunity seriously and were embarrassed because of it. Every other #1 seed in that tournament made it at least as far as the quarterfinals, and Michigan ended up playing for the championship.
In light of that fact, this may be a problem for schools like Maryland – who made so many consecutive trips to the NCAA that it came to be considered something of a birthright that Maryland would always have a seed reserved for it. Other schools have gotten good over the past two decades and mid-majors now make noise on an annual basis. The same year Maryland lost in the first round of the NIT, George Mason made it to the Final Four by dropping UConn in overtime. They were good and it was an uncommon event for them. It probably meant more to them than Maryland’s 11th straight appearance did to the Terps.
Maryland will return to the NCAAs on a regular basis with the addition of a bit more talent, but they’ll likely always have to play hard in the last few games of the season to make it a sure thing. There are now too many competitive teams to phone it in. In the meantime, if they’re humbled by the NIT, even if it’s not something to be ashamed of, perhaps it will act as motivation to return next year and not repeat the experience.