NIT ROUNDUP : Vanderbilt Beats Penn State, Will Play St.Louis in Final

Coach Eddie Fogler, a former New York City cab driver, has driven Vanderbilt into the National Invitation Tournament final for the first time.

The Commodores scored 14 consecutive points in the second half and defeated Penn State, 75-62, Monday night in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York. Vanderbilt will play St. Louis, which defeated New Mexico, 80-73, in Wednesday’s final.

“Playing in New York is a thrill,” said Fogler, a former New York high school star. “Winning is even better.”

Scott Draud scored 20 points for the Commodores (20-14), including five three-pointers.

After Penn State closed an 11-point deficit to 48-43 with 5 1/2 minutes gone in the second half, Vanderbilt made its decisive run.

Todd Milholland began the surge with a basket and Draud completed it with his fifth three-pointer as Penn State (24-9) went scoreless for 7:17.

“It’s not the big dance (the NCAA Final Four), but we’re proud to be in (the NIT final),” Draud said.

Freddie Barnes scored 18 points for Penn State, but the Nittany Lions’ leading scorer, Ed Fogell, was held to eight.

St. Louis 80, New Mexico 73--Anthony Bonner had 24 points and 19 rebounds as the Billikens downed the Lobos to reach the NIT final for the second consecutive year.

Bonner, the nation’s leading rebounder with 13.7 per game, scored eight points in the final six minutes for St. Louis (21-11), which lost to St. John’s in last year’s championship game. The Billikens, making their 15th NIT appearance, won in 1948 and lost in the final in 1961 and 1989.

Jeff Luechtefeld added 19 points for St. Louis, and Darrell McGee scored 23 points and Luc Longley had 12 points and 18 rebounds for New Mexico (20-13).