Xavier rallies past Texas A&M for title
NEW YORK – If this was the last NIT championship game at Madison Square Garden, it certainly was a thriller.
Especially for Xavier.
Jack Nunge made the go-ahead basket with 3.1 seconds left and the Musketeers won their first NIT crown in 64 years Thursday night, rallying for a 73-72 victory over Texas A&M.
Colby Jones scored 21 points for the Musketeers (23-13) and was selected the tournament’s most outstanding player. Dwon Odom added 18, and Nunge had 15 points and 11 rebounds to help Xavier erase an eight-point halftime deficit under interim coach Jonas Hayes.
“I can’t say enough about our guys,” Hayes said. “That’s what Xavier basketball is.”
It was the final National Invitation Tournament title game at Madison Square Garden for at least a couple of years – ending a college basketball tradition that dates to 1938.
MSG won’t host the semifinals and finals in 2023 and 2024, the NIT announced this week, saying a bid process has begun to find new sites for those years and an announcement is expected this spring.
Nothing has been determined beyond 2024.
Quenton Jackson had 23 points for the Aggies (27-13), left out of the NCAA Tournament despite reaching the SEC final, where they lost to Tennessee. It was a surprising snub by the selection committee that drew criticism from Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams and others.
After getting over their disappointment, the Aggies nearly took the consolation prize.
In a championship game with 17 lead changes, Adam Kunkel made one of two free throws to give Xavier a 7170 advantage with 1:28 left.