Why, why, why were Iowa and Iowa State not in the College Basketball Invitational?

Friday night, Oregon State defeated Texas-El Paso to win the finals of the second annual College Basketball Invitational, two games to one.

Oregon State was invited into the CBI with a 13-17 record. It won three straight games to get to the final, beat UTEP at home in the opener, lost Game 2 in El Paso, then finished off the Miners in El Paso Friday.

Which begs to ask, what did a 13-17 Oregon State have to offer the CBI that a 15-17 Iowa or 15-17 Iowa State didn't?

And the only answer can be this: The Beavers' coach is Craig Robinson, who is the brother-in-law of President Barack Obama. The CBI tilts its tourney Oregon State's way, and angles for special favors from the White House for the rest of Obama's time in the presidency.