NIT Roundup : Indiana (Barely), Louisville Going to New York

Steve Alford scored 29 points, including 11 in two overtime periods Sunday night, lifting Indiana to a 94-82 victory over Marquette at Bloomington, Ind., in a quarterfinal game of the National Invitation Tournament.

Indiana (18-13) advances to the NIT semifinals against Tennessee at 4 p.m. (PST) Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. UCLA plays Louisville, a 71-66 victor over Tennessee Chattanooga in the other game Sunday, in the other semifinal at 6:15 p.m. (PST). UCLA, Indiana and Louisville are all former NCAA champions.

The championship game is Friday at 6 p.m. (PST).

Alford’s three-point play with 3:30 left in the second overtime gave Indiana an 81-76 lead and Marquette got no closer than three points the rest of the way as the Hoosiers made 10 free throws in the second overtime and 30 of 45 for the game.

The Warriors (20-11) played the last 30 seconds with only four players on the floor because all their other players had fouled out.

The Hooisers forced the first overtime when freshman Kreigh Smith, shooting for injured Darryl Thomas, made two free throws with 20 seconds left in regulation to tie the score, 68-68.

In the first overtime, Marquette jumped out to a 76-71 lead on a basket by Mandy Johnson, but he missed two ensuing free throws. Alford scored the next four Indiana points to move the Hooisers within 76-75.

After the Warriors’ Robert Hall missed a free throw with 22 seconds left, Indiana center Uwe Blab was fouled with no time remaining. Blab made the first free throw, but missed the second to set up the second overtime.

Blab and Stew Robinson finished with 18 points each for Indiana. Tom Copa had 17 for Marquette.

Louisville 81, Tennessee Chattanooga 76--With the Louisville band providing the background music with a chorus of “New York, New York,” the Cardinals earned their trip to the Big Apple by holding off the Moccasins at Louisville, Ky.

The Cardinals (19-16) kept alive Coach Denny Crum’s chances to extend his streak of 20-win seasons to 13.

Louisville built up a 35-24 lead by shooting 71% from the field in the first half, and increased the lead to 48-32 on a dunk by Jeff Hall with 14:32 left.

Gerald Wilkins brought the Moccasins (24-8) back by scoring 16 of his 22 points after halftime.