StaggerLee
Scrapple
Level: 161
   
Posts: 1221/7105
EXP: 54038664
For next: 74569
Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks
Since last post: 1232 days
Last activity: 1232 days
|  #1 Posted on 2.4.04 0333.11
Reposted on: 2.4.11 0333.25 | New York, NY (Sports Network) - Daniel Horton scored 14 points to lead the Michigan Wolverines over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 62-55, for the National Invitation Tournament crown at Madison Square Garden.
Dion Harris added 13 points for Michigan, which earned its second official NIT crown. The Wolverines (23-11) also won the titles in 1984 and '97, but the latter was later stripped due to NCAA violations.
Those same NCAA penalties nearly cost Michigan a chance to play in the post- season this year, but the school won an appeal of the sanctions last September.
"I'm thrilled for our team and our program," Michigan head coach Tommy Amaker said. "We tried to make the most of this season in a fashion to make our university proud."
Rutgers' Herve Lamizana ended his collegiate career by nearly posting a triple-double, scoring 19 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking eight shots. Ricky Shields added 16 points for the Scarlet Knights (20-13), who missed out on their first NIT title in their first championship game appearance.
Trailing 41-29 after Horton hit a three-pointer 3:25 into the second half, Rutgers came to life and went on a 15-2 run to take a 44-43 lead. Quincy Douby's first basket of the game with 16:24 left started the run and ended an 0-for-8 shooting drought for the point guard. Shields, who had seven points during the burst, ended it with a jumper at the 10:56 mark.
Later, with the game tied at 48-48, Michigan scored nine straight points to clinch the game. Courtney Sims' jumper with 5:10 left gave the Wolverines the lead for good and Bernard Robinson's free throw with 1:04 left capped the burst.
Rutgers went 4:25 without a point during the Michigan run. A pair of Marquis Webb free throws with 58 ticks left ended the drought.
Poor Michigan free throw shooting in the final minute allowed the Scarlet Knights to remain within striking distance. The Wolverines hit only 2-of-6 from the stripe as the Scarlet Knights managed to narrow the lead to 59-55 with 19 seconds left.
However, that is as close as Rutgers would get as Michigan hit three of its final four free throws to ice the game.
"We were fortunate they missed shots late," Amaker said. "Certainly we didn't make the free throws to keep the lead at a comfortable margin, but we made enough to come out with the victory."
Douby, who lifted Rutgers with a 35-point performance in the semifinal round, finished with only two points on 1-of-13 shooting before fouling out with 10 seconds left.
"As a freshman sometimes you end up pressing yourself," Rutgers' head coach Gary Waters said of Douby. "When you go with a young man like that, you have to live with a young man like that. These are the type of times he's going to learn from for the next time."
Horton was the tournament MVP.
Rutgers finished shooting only 24-of-67 from the field and 3-of-19 from three- point range. Michigan didn't fare much better, going 21-of-59 from the floor, including 4-of-16 from beyond the arc. However, the difference was at the free throw line, where Michigan went 16-of-27 and Rutgers ended only 4-of-9.
The first half also saw Rutgers struggle from the field. After going ahead 16-14 just 8:36 into the half, the Scarlet Knights went over seven minutes without a point. Lamizana's jumper with 5:10 left ended the drought, but Michigan had run off 11 straight points over the span to go ahead 25-16.
Rutgers later drew within 28-23 on a Lamizana tip of his own miss with 1:47 remaining, but Michigan went into the break ahead 32-25 after scoring four of the final six points of the half.
Rutgers shot only 1-of-9 from three-point range and 11-of-35 overall in the first half. Douby epitomized Rutgers' struggles, going 0-for-8 from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Michigan, on the other hand, shot 12-of-32 from the field and 6-of-11 from the free throw line. Rutgers had only two first-half free throw attempts.
| Promote this thread! |             | Grimis
Scrapple
Level: 135
Posts: 2985/4700
EXP: 29224231
For next: 110850
Since: 11.7.02
From: MD
Since last post: 5008 days
Last activity: 3463 days
| #2 Posted on 2.4.04 0711.42
Reposted on: 2.4.11 0713.43 | | Does anybody actually watch the NIT anymore? | Reverend J Shaft
Toulouse
Level: 76
Posts: 104/1235
EXP: 3851953
For next: 154126
Since: 25.6.03
From: Home of The Big House
Since last post: 1733 days
Last activity: 147 days
| #3 Posted on 2.4.04 0742.50
Reposted on: 2.4.11 0745.26 | I do, thank you very much - and I'd wager to say you would if Maryland were in it as well 
Actually, this was a tremendous tournament for both Michigan and Rutgers. Both teams have a lot of young talent and both programs are on the rise.
The players probably would rather have played in the Big Dance, but I think something like this does a lot for a young team's confidence.
As a fan, this was a lot more fun than it would've been watching them go out in the first round of the Big Dance.
So, in summary to those who pooh-poohed the NIT .... PPPHHBBBBBBTTTTTT!! | Grimis
Scrapple
Level: 135
Posts: 2986/4700
EXP: 29224231
For next: 110850
Since: 11.7.02
From: MD
Since last post: 5008 days
Last activity: 3463 days
| #4 Posted on 2.4.04 0851.48
Reposted on: 2.4.11 0853.18 | Originally posted by Reverend J Shaft
I do, thank you very much - and I'd wager to say you would if Maryland were in it as well
I don't think the Terps know the meaning of NIT :) | Reverend J Shaft
Toulouse
Level: 76
Posts: 106/1235
EXP: 3851953
For next: 154126
Since: 25.6.03
From: Home of The Big House
Since last post: 1733 days
Last activity: 147 days
| #5 Posted on 2.4.04 0915.37
Reposted on: 2.4.11 0915.39 | Originally posted by Grimis
Originally posted by Reverend J Shaft
I do, thank you very much - and I'd wager to say you would if Maryland were in it as well
I don't think the Terps know the meaning of NIT :)
Really? The were in the preseason NIT just last year. But I can understand if they don't KNOW the meaning of NIT. Lot of syllables in In-vi-ta-tion-al
Come on. Let us poor, non-basketball-crazy schools enjoy a bit of sweet victory. yea!
(edited by Reverend J Shaft on 2.4.04 1016) | The Amazing Salami
Sujuk
Level: 70
Posts: 756/1000
EXP: 2876596
For next: 139230
Since: 23.5.02
From: Oklahoma
Since last post: 7526 days
Last activity: 7526 days
| #6 Posted on 2.4.04 0929.59
Reposted on: 2.4.11 0932.19 | Originally posted by Grimis
Originally posted by Reverend J Shaft
I do, thank you very much - and I'd wager to say you would if Maryland were in it as well
I don't think the Terps know the meaning of NIT :)
FYI Terps: Stands for Not Important Tournament | dunkndollaz
Banger
Level: 106
Posts: 1153/2658
EXP: 12570637
For next: 101347
Since: 3.1.02
From: Northern NJ
Since last post: 1944 days
Last activity: 1400 days
| #7 Posted on 2.4.04 1439.14
Reposted on: 2.4.11 1442.02 | Originally posted by Grimis
Originally posted by Reverend J Shaft
I do, thank you very much - and I'd wager to say you would if Maryland were in it as well
I don't think the Terps know the meaning of NIT :)
They certainly did in 1972 when they won the NIT and Tom McMillen was the MVP | TheCow
Landjager
Level: 68
Posts: 759/948
EXP: 2677513
For next: 51301
Since: 3.1.02
From: Knoxville, TN
Since last post: 6189 days
Last activity: 6188 days
| | | Y!: |  |
|
| #8 Posted on 2.4.04 1638.52
Reposted on: 2.4.11 1643.08 | Originally posted by The Amazing Salami
Originally posted by Grimis
Originally posted by Reverend J Shaft
I do, thank you very much - and I'd wager to say you would if Maryland were in it as well
I don't think the Terps know the meaning of NIT :)
FYI Terps: Stands for Not Important Tournament
Well, there was a time when winning the NIT was more prestigious than winning the NCAA (back way, WAAAAY before modern times). It wasn't always that way. | ekedolphin
Scrapple
Level: 148
Posts: 1819/5747
EXP: 39945211
For next: 433547
Since: 12.1.02
From: Indianapolis, IN; now residing in Suffolk, VA
Since last post: 785 days
Last activity: 170 days
| #9 Posted on 3.4.04 0024.20
Reposted on: 3.4.11 0029.01 | You know why the Michigan fans didn't chant “We're number sixty-six!” after the Wolverines won the NIT? Too many syllables for the chant to really work well.
Plus, Michigan fans can't say more than two syllables at once. 
Hey, I figured as long as we were making Michigan jokes... | Reverend J Shaft
Toulouse
Level: 76
Posts: 108/1235
EXP: 3851953
For next: 154126
Since: 25.6.03
From: Home of The Big House
Since last post: 1733 days
Last activity: 147 days
| #10 Posted on 4.4.04 2159.39
Reposted on: 4.4.11 2200.26 | Originally posted by ekedolphin
You know why the Michigan fans didn't chant “We're number sixty-six!” after the Wolverines won the NIT? Too many syllables for the chant to really work well.
Plus, Michigan fans can't say more than two syllables at once.
Hey, I figured as long as we were making Michigan jokes...
Very original. At least your annoyance is lessened by watching your Pacers job like bitches to my Pistons today... | | ALL ORIGINAL POSTS IN THIS THREAD ARE NOW AVAILABLE |
| | | | | | | | | | |
