Wolfpack and Tar Heels both find Round One NIT success

Men’s Basketball from the ACC in the NIT:

NC State 58
USF 57

Tampa, Fla. (National Invitation Tournament)

from www.espn.com:

TAMPA, Fla. — Dennis Horner scored 25 points and Richard Howell’s go-ahead layup with 8 seconds left barely beat the shot clock as North Carolina State defeated South Florida 58-57 in the first round of the NIT on Tuesday night.

The officials reviewed Howell’s basket to see if he got off the shot before the shot clock expired and the call stood.

USF star Dominique Jones had a look for a last shot, but passed it to Chris Howard, who then passed it to Augustus Gilchrist, who put up an airball.

“I really never expected [Jones] to pass the ball,” Bulls coach Stan Heath said. “I’d rather go down with a missed shot then with something not going down the way [we drew it up]. That play wasn’t it, you can’t say. There were many other [plays] that you’d like to get back.”

Jones said he passed the ball because a defender came to guard him.

“We wanted to keep it out of his hands,” Wolfpack coach Sidney Lowe said. “We got him jammed up and made him pass it. It was a good play on our part.”

North Carolina State advances to play UAB in the second round.

North Carolina 80
William & Mary 72

Chapel Hill, N.C. (National Invitation Tournament)

from www.espn.com:

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Dexter Strickland hit the go-ahead free throws with 2:34 left and North Carolina held William & Mary scoreless for the final 5 minutes in the Tar Heels’ 80-72 win in the first round of the NIT on Tuesday night.

Deon Thompson scored 20 points to lead the Tar Heels (17-16), the reigning national champions who found themselves in the NIT for the first time in seven years after a disappointing season. But they weathered a flurry of 3-pointers from the Tribe to ensure they would finish at least .500.

Tyler Zeller added 13 points for the fourth-seeded Tar Heels, who advanced to the second round to face the Jackson State-Mississippi State winner.

David Schneider scored 21 points on seven 3-pointers for the fifth-seeded Tribe (22-11), who shot 16 for 43 from behind the arc and nearly eliminated North Carolina.