NIT Hangover Update: My eyes aren’t bloodshot anymore but I am weirdly cold.
We’ve already covered Saturday’s games, and today’s Free Hoops episode has a full rundown of the second round (along with some wisdom from the great Greg Peterson). But to collect our thoughts one last time before we turn to the quarterfinals…
Oklahoma State 85, SMU 83
It’s been overshadowed, because the evening slate went nuts, but this was an electric matinee. Kario Oquendo came out like Rambo. Abou Ousmane came through with the game-tying free throw and effective game-winning basket. Steve Lutz was up to that wizardry we expect from the Matt Painter tree. Oklahoma State chose the NIT. Their fans showed up in Dallas for the second round. Now, they’re getting a second home game to reward them for that choice and that support. The Big 12: Still good at basketball.
North Texas 65, Arkansas State 63
Why is Oklahoma State hosting this quarterfinal? There’s a cheer competition already scheduled at the Super Pit. This has caused some conflict within the Mean Green world, and we love that and encourage our UNT friends to keep at it. Overall, as a North Texas sympathizer and the NIT’s biggest fan, let me just say: It’s ok to laugh. This is funny. North Texas can’t host the NIT quarterfinal because someone already booked the Super Pit. The things the NIT has to deal with, man.
Since we now know last night was the Super Pit’s last game of the year…what a way to go out.
If you missed the game or missed parts of the game, the basic story is that North Texas stretched the lead a few times but couldn’t get into double digits, and that eventually, Izaiyah Nelson and the Red Wolves made it plenty interesting. With 4:17 to play, UNT led by eight. At the under-4 timeout, UNT led by three. Arkansas State tied it on their next possession. From there…
- 2:01: Atin Wright hit his only shot of the day. 60–57, UNT lead.
- 1:46: Taryn Todd missed a three, UNT rebound.
- 1:09: Jasper Floyd got fouled, made one free throw, then missed the other. 61–57 Mean Green.
- 0:56: Taryn Todd got a bucket. 61–59.
- 0:30: Brenen Lorient got fouled and made both free throws: 63–59.
- 0:22: Taryn Todd made a jumper. 63–61.
- 0:18: Jasper Floyd got fouled. He missed the front end of the one-and-one.
- 0:10: Taryn Todd finished a layup in traffic. Tie game.
Then, in an age in which most college basketball coaches would call timeout and adjust their players’ diapers, Ross Hodge stood back while Floyd took the inbounds pass, brought the ball up at a casual pace, declined a screen from Lorient, drove past Joseph Pinion, stopped, turned around to lose Nelson, and knocked down a fadeaway eight-footer with one second and a tenth left on the clock.
Here’s the final part of that final sequence. Great composure. What a win. Great effort by Arkansas State to stay in it. Hope they can hold onto Bryan Hodgson, for their sake. The Sun Belt continues to rise.
Loyola Chicago 77, San Francisco 76
Did you realize Loyola’s 10–2 in its last twelve? Because I didn’t realize that. I watched them climb into the NIT conversation, but I didn’t really think about what that meant.
Jayden Dawson (LUC) and Malik Thomas (USF) were both on one here, so it’s fitting that each hit one or more go-ahead shots in the final two minutes. After a strong San Francisco opening, Loyola led most of the way, but a late Dons surge prompted a heartbreaking Dons finish, with multiple misses at close range and one make put up right after the buzzer sounded. Hell of a night from Loyola, whom we’re more than ready to call the A-10’s premier program. Aside from Fordham, they’re in the biggest city. Fordham-inclusive, they’re in the biggest basketball city. They’re clearly the best program in the conference, as evidenced by who from the A-10’s still playing in the NIT. Drew Valentine, welcome to our respect.
The 1949 NIT Championship rematch angle got its due, but there’s an angle within that angle I believe ESPN failed to address: Sister Jean was 29 at the time that game was played. Revenge tour complete.
Kent State 77, Stanford 75
Elsewhere in the Bay Area, another Rust Belt visitor pulled off a stunner, with Jalen Sullinger’s Kent State Golden Flashes roaring past Maxime Raynaud and the Stanford Cardinal. Great game by Jaylen Blakes, and great frantic effort from Stanford to make the final this close, but more often than not, this was Kent State’s game to lose. Now, Rob Senderoff and the fellas go to Rogers Park for what should be the best atmosphere of the quarterfinals. Yes, unseeded Loyola got itself a home game. All it took was a little MACtion.
UC Irvine 66, Jacksonville State 61
This one was real fun. Ray Harper’s got a great thing going again in Jacksonville, and the Myles Che/Jaron Pierre post-game dap-up hit a very specific college basketball heartstring.
UC Irvine’s just too good, though, and now they’re the NIT favorite. Suffocating defense. When Justin Hohn’s holding onto the ball, you’re sunk.
UAB 88, Santa Clara 84
Next up for the Anteaters is NOT Santa Clara, as was expected before the game and really expected with sixteen minutes to go. Over those last sixteen minutes, Yaxel Lendeborg and Christian Coleman combined for 25 pointss, UAB outscored Santa Clara 44–25, and oh yeah Lendeborg also had five assists. You know how you can add the word wiener to the end of any movie title to make it funnier? (Ex.: Wicked Wiener.) You can do that with any UAB sentence and oh yeah Lendeborg also had five assists. It’s always true. The man is always picking up five more assists.
Dominant finish from the Blazers. Santa Clara still had a chance—it looked like Carlos Stewart was going to hit that game-tying three on the Broncos’ last possession—but the Blazers got yet another culture win, and they’ll stay out west for three more days. Good for Andy Kennedy. What a program.
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