MUNCIE, Ind. — James Whitford sold his team on why he wanted to play in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament for a second straight year, then left the room.
His players came within two games of making the Big Dance before losing to top-seeded Akron in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. They lost their starting center, saw their point guard's head get split open and ultimately watched a close, winnable game slip away.
He knew the choice to keep playing wouldn't be easy.
"I said, 'Listen, the ultimate goal for us is to win the conference, to win a MAC Championship.