Next up for Ramblers: NIT game at Creighton
Loyola accepted a bid Sunday to play in the National Invitation Tournament, marking the program’s first back-to-back postseason appearances since the 1962-63 and 196364 seasons.
The Ramblers, who went 20-13 and claimed a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title, will play a first-round game at Creighton (18-14) at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
Loyola, which earned the No. 7 seed, will make its fifth appearance in the NIT and its first since the 1979-80 season.
“Well, someone on the committee got a chuckle scheduling us against my alma mater,” said Ramblers coach Porter Moser, who played his college ball for the Blue Jays.
“Needless to say, I have a ton of respect for [coach Greg McDermott] and the program he runs. This is a terrific opportunity for our guys to compete and advance in a prestigious national tournament.”
DePaul was selected as one of 16 teams to play in the College Basketball Invitational. The Blue Demons (15-15) will host Central Michigan (23-11) in the first round at McGrath-Phillips Arena at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The CBI marks DePaul’s first postseason appearance since it reached the NIT quarterfinals in 2007.
Auburn 84, Tennessee 64
Bryce Brown scored 19 points as the No. 22 Tigers (26-9) stunned the No. 8 Volunteers (29-5) in Nashville, Tennessee, to win its first Southeastern Conference tournament championship since 1985. Auburn has won eight in a row and 10 of its last 11, including four games in four days in the SEC tourney.
Cincinnati 69, Houston 57
Jarron Cumberland had 33 points and eight rebounds to lead the No. 24 Bearcats (28-6) past the No. 11 Cougars (31-3) in the title game of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Memphis, Tennessee.
Yale 97, Harvard 85
Alex Copeland scored a season-high 25 points as the Bulldogs (22-7) beat the Crimson (18-11) for the Ivy League championship.
Saint Louis 55, St. Bonaventure 53
The Billikens (23-12) rallied from a 15-point deficit to top the Bonnies (18-16) in the Atlantic 10 tournament final in New York.