By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The National Invitation Tournament suffers from being considered a consolation prize, because frankly, that’s what it is for most of the participants.

Especially for a team such as Iowa that was trying to make the NCAA Tournament for a program record fifth straight time, but then fell probably two wins short of reaching that milestone.

The pain and disappointment from falling short was plastered all over the faces of the Iowa players in the moments after this past Thursday’s 90-78 loss to Ohio State in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

They knew the cost of this loss, and it hurt knowing that one of the greatest events in all sports would go on without them.

Junior forward Payton Sandfort felt especially bad for the seniors because he wanted so much for them to be a part of the Big Dance.

“I think the hardest part is just knowing that some of these guys won’t be able to live out their dreams and that’s hard for me,” Sandfort said.

But then Sandfort also tried to look at the bright side, which in this case was a chance to keep playing the game he loves with the team he loves.

“I’m so happy I got to be on this team and I’m so proud of this group,” Sandfort said. “And we’re not done yet. Whatever opportunity we get, we’re going to fight as hard as we can.”

There is a right way and a wrong way to handle disappointment, and Payton Sandfort and his Iowa teammates, coaches and administrators deserve praise for handling their disappointment the right way.

Of course, they didn’t want to play in the NIT, and it’ll hurt watching as the NCAA Tournament captivates the nation without them.

But, sometimes, a team just has to rise above its disappointment and sadness and do the right thing, which in this case is play in the NIT.

It just seems that when a team turns down a chance to play in the NIT, as is the case with Indiana, Ole Miss and Memphis, it’s suggesting that the event is beneath them.

Indiana’s reason for declining an invitation is reportedly that the coaches want to focus on recruiting and roster building.

Okay, it makes sense to want to focus on roster building, especially in this age of the transfer portal and NIL. The spring transfer portal window opens Monday.

But can’t you do both at the same time?

The NIT finals will be held in Indianapolis this year, and yet, the Indiana Hoosiers apparently don’t have the time or interest in trying to get there.

It gives the appearance that Indiana is quitting on the season because it didn’t meet expectations.

Iowa, on the other hand, has put in a bid to host a first-round game in the NIT, and there was no indication from anybody associated with the team after the loss to Ohio State that they were against playing in the NIT.

A deep run in the NIT would be a nice way to conclude what has been a roller-coaster season for Iowa, and with four freshmen in the rotation, it would help to propel them into the offseason with a positive mindset.

Iowa certainly doesn’t compare to Indiana when it comes to tradition and success in men’s basketball. But Indiana is also a far cry from what it used to be, without having won a national title since 1987, and having won just three Big Ten regular-season titles since 1993.

If Indiana didn’t want to play in the NIT, it should have avoided losing so many games in the regular season, and losing to Nebraska by 27 points (93-66) in the Big Ten quarterfinals this past Thursday.

Iowa also had a chance to avoid the NIT, but it never led against Ohio State, and it also would have likely taken a win in the quarterfinals against Illinois for Iowa to have made the NCAA Tournament.

But instead of sulking and turning down a chance to play in the NIT, the Iowa players and coaches seem determined to make the best of a tough situation.

Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery was making small talk with a group of Iowa reporters shortly after last Thursday’s loss to Ohio State and one of the topics being discussed was playing in the NIT.

McCaffery gave no hint that he was against playing in the NIT.

He has too much respect for the NIT, which a long time ago used to be considered the most prestigious showcase for college postseason basketball.

The rise of the NCAA Tournament in the 1970s and 1980s led to the NIT’s fall from grace, but it didn’t destroy it.

The NIT still serves a purpose, even as a consolation event.

But its future could be in jeopardy if more major programs start declining an invitation to play in the NIT.

The NIT field will be announced Sunday night, and shortly after the NCAA men’s and women’s brackets are announced.

Iowa is expected to host a game on Tuesday, and while it won’t have the same buzz or significance as an NCAA Tournament game, the challenge is to make the most of it.

And it starts by being willing to accept the challenge.