There are a lot of things to love about this year’s NIT Championship. It’s original (the biggest game to ever happen in Frisco). It brought friends (the WNIT Championship, the NIT Third Place Game). It’s an occupying force (taking over a day usually reserved for that other tournament).
As you might expect, then, there are storylines galore. Will Penny Hardaway make good on his national championship guarantee, and elevate Memphis into the rare tier of programs with multiple NIT titles? What would winning this tournament mean for Ben Howland and his legacy? What from this year’s NIT will stick around into next year? Is the Third Place Game back back?
Here’s what’s happening today:
NIT Championship: Memphis vs. Mississippi State
12:00 PM EDT, ESPN
Memphis is the favorite, but only by a few points. The Tigers have been like this ever since the bracket was announced—always the most likely NIT champion, but never overwhelmingly so. They’ve won big at times (yesterday). They’ve won close (Thursday). They’ve won medium (their only other NIT game, which was last Saturday). Mississippi State, meanwhile, has been a dark horse all the while. Invited only after opt-outs. A bottom seed in a tough corner of the bracket. Down to one necessarily heroic shot at one point.
Now, they’re both in the same place. Pretty American if you ask me.
WNIT Championship: Rice vs. Mississippi
2:00 PM EDT, FloHoops
Women’s basketball isn’t my area of expertise (we’re hoping to get more into it next season), but it does appear Mississippi is the favorite here. Could be a big day for the Magnolia State.
NIT Third Place Game: Colorado State vs. Louisiana Tech
3:00 PM EDT, ESPN
Make all the consolation jokes you want. The winner of this one’s going to be the first sole possessor of a third-place NIT finish in almost two decades. That is an accomplishment. No denying it.
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We’ll get on the coaching carousel news and all the other information later this week.
For now, it’s all about the games.
Bona NIT, friends. Bona NIT.
