Colorado Tries to Get Last Laugh on Oklahoma in NIT Semifinals

Big Eight rivals Oklahoma and Colorado will play for the third time this season tonight in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Oklahoma won the two regular-season games, by 113-97 in Norman and by 69-68 in Boulder.

“You can throw out the first two games because we’re both playing better now,” Colorado Coach Joe Harrington says. “We know each other pretty well, so there shouldn’t be any surprises.”

In his first year since leaving Cal State Long Beach, Harrington has led the Buffaloes to their first postseason appearance since the 1969 NCAA tournament. Colorado (18-13) hasn’t beaten Oklahoma (19-14) since 1982, a string of 23 consecutive losses.

Colorado has a potent inside-outside combination in center Shaun Vandiver and guard Stevie Wise. Both seniors average about 20 points.

Massachusetts (20-11) will play Stanford (18-13) in the other NIT semifinal. The Minutemen won three tournament games by a total of nine points.

In the last round, they made a three-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime and went on to beat Siena, 82-80. “My team hasn’t slept since that game,” Massachusetts Coach John Calipari said. “They’re afraid if they wake up, the dream will be over.”

Stanford finished in a five-way tie for fifth place in the Pac-10, but has looked impressive in its NIT victories over Houston, Wisconsin and Southern Illinois.

The NIT championship game will be Wednesday night.