You never know when you’ll get your next NIT game in Walsh Gymnasium.
Last night was special.
The games:
Seton Hall 91, UNLV 68
UNLV couldn’t counter the magic of that little bandbox in South Orange. Inspiring run by the Rebels to make it so far, but Al-Amir Dawes was not to be denied, and once Seton Hall’s shots started falling, the rout was on. Annihilation by the Pirates, who entering this tournament had won just two games in 14 NIT appearances since their 1953 national title. Redemption in New Jersey.
I am so glad we got Walsh Gym in this tournament. I didn’t know about Walsh Gym. I love Walsh Gym. I love how much Seth Greenberg loves Walsh Gym. I spend a lot of time watching Seth Greenberg from November through March. I watch a lot of basketball on the ESPN family of networks. Do you think Seth Greenberg ever goes home? Or is he just always there at the desk, always, ready to talk ball? Seth Greenberg feels like a coworker to me. Seth Greenberg likely does not know who I am.
Utah 74, VCU 54
For a minute there, when Craig Smith was getting T’d up and VCU was coming back and Ryan Odom was looking into Utah players’ souls, wordlessly saying that the NIT is a birthright in his family and that he was not to be denied…
For a minute there, it looked like VCU would make a game of this one.
It wasn’t to be.
Utah finished the season 17–2 at home, Deivon Smith sent the Pac-12 into the past with him as its all-time single-season triple double leader, and the Utes are headed to Indianapolis.
I’m not going to lie.
Utah is a very scary matchup for Indiana State.
But that’s what makes the NIT great.
Smith, of course, is an early NIT MVP candidate (I have no idea who votes on that or how it gets decided), right there with Jayson Kent of the Sycamores. Lot of tournament left, though. The champion and runner-up, whoever they are, have only completed 60% of their respective NIT experiences. So much NIT remains! (28 of the 31 NIT games have been played; I am weeping silently to myself.)
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In the NIT Bracket Challenge, we believe we have 24 entries still in the mix for a podium finish, with two possible celebrity champions. We’ll confirm before we say who the 24 are.
There’s a good chance the leading rebounder tiebreaker will come into play. I love the leading rebounder tiebreaker. I’m proud of us for that one.
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No posts explicitly for NIT Days 11, 12, 13, and 14. We’ll have NIT-adjacent content, of course, but the NIT doesn’t resume play until Day 15. Whole lot of travel going on this weekend. I wonder how many people are driving from Salt Lake City to Indianapolis.
