Ok, we’ve given everyone almost an entire day to calm down from last NITe’s thrillers. Let’s hit ‘em.
What happened in each of yesterday’s games, what each result means for the NIT, and one additional thought on each:
Oklahoma State 69, Youngstown State 64
What happened:
The danger of Oklahoma State’s situation was evident from the start. The Beeghly Center was packed (the attendance numbers have to be a lie, please let them be a lie, that place looked way more than 65% full) and Dwayne Cohill was making shots, on pace for forty at one point in the game’s early going. The question of whether the Cowboys might wilt was answered in the negative, though, and after falling behind by eight early in the second half, the NIT’s top overall seed held Youngstown State to five points over a thirteen-minute stretch. It took all thirteen of those minutes for OK State to grab control, because scoring was easy for nobody last night in Youngstown, but once they had it, they held it, successfully icing things with free throws down the stretch.
What it means for the NIT:
The top overall seed and certainly one of the best teams invited remains in the field, and they now get to play a low-major in Eastern Washington who’s traveling a long way to Stillwater. Oklahoma State might be the NIT favorite.
One additional thought:
There was a compelling reason to feel bad for whoever lost—Youngstown because the fans showed out and we want that rewarded, Oklahoma State because they didn’t get their first earned home game—and I didn’t like that. I like not having to feel bad for people. Please make note of that, universe.
Morehead State 68, Clemson 64
What happened:
I’m not sure I know. The only two teams who had no chance of winning were Morehead State and Alcorn State. Morehead State won.
As with Rutgers on Tuesday, Clemson led comfortably in the early going. They went cold right before halftime, though, and they went cold again midway through the second half, and Morehead just kind of kept marching. It was like Clemson did an overture to their season, showing little bits of all the different ways they could play and ultimately losing a close game, a bit of poeticism after winning what some called way too many of those in January.
What it means for the NIT:
The winner of Michigan and Vanderbilt will now get a home game, as will UAB, who gets the added bonus of playing Morehead rather than Clemson. Also: Clearly, Morehead can do things. Clemson wasn’t one of the five or six best teams in the field (good team sheet, yeah; good team, no), but they were about as good as most of these teams, especially Vanderbilt and UAB. Doesn’t change the path of anyone but UAB, but does thin it a little.
One additional thought:
What was Clemson’s effort? To be honest, I was focused on the game in Youngstown during this time slot. I don’t know what the environment was like in South Carolina. The attendance was low, even with students not on spring break, which feels weird for a program that shouldn’t reasonably expect much more than this kind of postseason setting. Kind of a funny thing to happen right after they didn’t fire Brad Brownell. Did he expect to get fired? Was the preparation lacking?
UCF 67, Florida 49
What happened:
Well, Taylor Hendricks is the future of basketball, so there’s that. You ever watch a player in one game and become immediately convinced he’s a future All-American? That was what happened here. I have no idea how good or bad Taylor Hendricks is, but he sure was good in a first round NIT game in Gainesville, for whatever that is worth.
UCF fell back a couple buckets early, took a breath, and pounded Florida through the earth and into the very high water table. It was a live burial that turned into a drowning.
What it means for the NIT:
Oregon gets UCF instead of Florida, which we would have said was good but now say is bad because we now know about Taylor Hendricks, the best four-star prospect to ever come out of Fort Lauderdale (we may have googled).
One additional thought:
The nerds are all gone now. Yale, Kyle Smith, Todd Golden…Vanderbilt’s the closest thing left and I don’t think of Vanderbilt as particularly nerdy. Not that they’re cool—it’s just a different thing.
North Texas 69, Alcorn State 53
What happened:
Alcorn State hung with the Green for a half, but it was merely a half. North Texas figured out how to score after the break and pulled away.
What it means for the NIT:
North Texas avoided the biggest upset of the first round, which is good for them but also means they had the least to gain.
One additional thought:
North Texas has been to the second round before. Last year. Unfinished business?
Cincinnati 81, Virginia Tech 72
What happened:
It was close the whole way through, but it became one of those better–team–wins games, and Cincinnati was the better team. Virginia Tech was the version of themselves which doesn’t make shots. That version was not very good at basketball.
What it means for the NIT:
Hofstra now gets a home game, since Cincinnati already had their floor repairs scheduled for this weekend, which is a very fun thing to write. This is great for the NIT, though, because we might get a sellout at Hofstra. According to ESPN, the number to beat is 81% of available seats, which Liberty hit against Villanova. We believe in you, Hofstra. Get to 82.
One additional thought:
What happened at Virginia Tech this year? What a puzzling thing. Also, why do Cincinnati’s players feel so familiar despite me only watching them once or twice this season?
Sam Houston State 58, Santa Clara 56
What happened:
Qua Grant, bad man. The Bearkat guard was everywhere, dictating the kind of game it would be and making that game exactly the sort of game Sam Houston State wins. They thrive in the chaos. They are one of those sorts.
It did come down to the wire, Santa Clara rallying late, but Grant scored twice to get the lead right back, and SHSU never again trailed. The Broncos had their chances in the last minute, but they couldn’t connect.
What it means for the NIT:
Sam Houston State is fierce and scary. It would not be surprising to see them beat any team in this field. Their ceiling is higher than Santa Clara’s was, and they play a much more vicious brand of ball. That makes the NIT fan’s preference from here come down to taste, but at least for Sunday, we’re going to get a scrap in Denton as the guys from Huntsville go north to face a Mean Green who lives up to that name.
Utah Valley 83, New Mexico 69
What happened:
Utah Valley just outran the Lobos, and the Lobos couldn’t shoot. Lot of instances here where New Mexico missed, the frustration became visible, and in that split second of regrouping Utah Valley got the ball down the court and put it through the net. New Mexico surged a few times, but never got close enough to really make things interesting. Justin Harmon scored 32 for the visitors despite only making two threes.
What it means for the NIT:
The WAC has two second-round teams, and Colorado gets a home game but does have to play Utah Valley, which is going to be tough for the Buffs, who didn’t exactly look like they were grooving on Tuesday.
One additional thought:
Was mentioning on Twitter how the WAC is good, and someone pointed out Sam Houston State is going to Conference USA as they switch to FBS for football. A little bummed. I forgot about that. Conference USA gets better, though. Good for our nation, I suppose.
Oregon 84, UC Irvine 58
What happened:
It was never a game. The Ducks, down three starters, turned in their best performance in more than a month. Basketball players playing basketball, kids having fun. UC Irvine never really got it going.
What it means for the NIT:
Oregon looked fantastic and now gets a UCF team who’s got a high ceiling and a low floor and will have just flown six hours or more to get to Eugene. I don’t think they’re the tournament favorite, I think that’s Oklahoma State speaking mathematically, but the Ducks are in the mix.
N’Faly Dante was potentially going to play, which makes it sound like Oregon could get him back this weekend. That would only help, we would assume.
One additional thought:
Is it a bummer when a funderdog goes out so quietly? Or was the anticipation reward enough? Zot, UC Irvine. Zot. Until we meet again.
