It may only be the NIT, but Cal State Bakersfield is STILL in the process of making a historic run through that tournament as a bottom seed. They nearly blew a 15-point 2nd half lead at Texas-Arlington, but managed to hang on for an 80-76 victory that will send the Roadrunners to the NIT Final Four at Madison Square Garden next week. This is the first time in the history of the NIT that an 8-seed advanced to the NIT Final Four and also the first time a bottom seed advanced to the Final 4 of any postseason tournament since Penn pulled off a similar feat in the 1979 NCAA Tournament.
Johnny Dawkins is no stranger to success in the NIT and his Central Florida team also secured their place in New York for next Tuesday with a 68-58 victory over Illinois. Next week, Georgia Tech will play Bakersfield in one semifinal matchup and UCF will play TCU in the other game.
In the CBI, Wyoming held Utah Valley scoreless for the final 2 minutes of the game and finished the game on a 6-0 run to win 74-68 in their CBI semifinal game. They will play Coastal Carolina in the best-of-3 CIT Finals next week beginning on Monday night on ESPNU. The Chanticleers advanced with an 89-78 victory over Illinois-Chicago.
In the final 2nd round matchup in the CIT, Texas State advanced to the quarterfinals with a 64-55 victory over Idaho at home last night. They will host Saint Peter’s in the quarterfinal round on Saturday afternoon at 5 PM. Furman will also play at Campbell on Saturday at 2 PM. As for the Sunday matchups, Liberty goes to UMBC for a 2 PM game and Fort Wayne will play at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 3 PM (all times Eastern). All 4 quarterfinal matchups will be streamed on Facebook Live.
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