Tark, Fresno Welcome Nit
In his first season back in college coaching, Jerry Tarkanian got his team into a postseason tournament.
The Fresno State Bulldogs fell short of the NCAAs when they lost in triple overtime to New Mexico in the Western Athletic Conference tournament. They did make it to the NIT, however, a tournament they won in 1983.
“That should be enough motivation,” Tarkanian said.
On Sunday, Fresno State (20-10) was one of 32 teams selected for the NIT. The Bulldogs will be at home to Miami, Ohio (21-7) when the tournament begins Wednesday night.
Also chosen was Davidson, which has the most wins in the NIT at 25-4, and will play at South Carolina (17-11) on Wednesday. The College of Charleston, which went 24-3 this season, visits Tennessee, at 14-14 one of two .500 teams in the field.
The other break-even team, Michigan State (15-15), is at home against Washington (16-11) on opening night.
Other 20-win teams in the field are Arkansas-Little Rock (23-6), Marist (22-6), Iona (21-7), Fairfield (21-9), Mount St. Mary’s (21-7), Gonzaga (21-8) and Illinois State (20-11).
“It feels good,” said Jim Phelan, coach of Mount St. Mary’s, which plays at Illinois State. “It’s hard to convince the players that this is an important tournament. We’ve never been there before. I thought it would be a nice experience to try it.”
Added Wimp Sanderson, coach of Arkansas-Little Rock, which plays at Vanderbilt (17-13): “It’s something I’m sure our kids will look forward to.”
Also invited were Manhattan (17-11), St. Joseph’s (15-12), Providence (17-11), Rhode Island (18-13), Alabama (16-11), Murray State (19-9), Illinois (18-12), Missouri (17-14), Nebraska (16-14), Washington State (16-11), Colorado State (18-11), Tulane (18-9), Auburn (19-12), Saint Louis (16-13), Minnesota (18-12) and Wisconsin (16-14).
“This is a big step for us,” said coach Bob Bender, in his third year at Washington. It’s been nine years since the Huskies participated in the NIT or NCAA.
Games will be played at campus sites until the semifinals on March 26 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The finals are March 28.
Montana (20-8) and Weber State (20-10), both from the Big Sky, were the only teams with at least 20 victories not to make the NIT or the NCAA tournaments.