NIT ROUNDUP : Virginia Tech, Marquette Win Chance for a Reprise of History
Two teams that last won National Invitation Tournament titles more than 20 years ago set themselves up to do it again Monday night in New York.
Damon Watlington missed only two of 10 shots and scored 20 points to lead Virginia Tech to a 71-59 victory over Canisius in one semifinal. Anthony Pieper scored a career-high 32 points and freshman Aaron Hutchins added 20, making Marquette an 87-79 winner over Penn State in the other.
The Hokies (24-10) won the NIT in 1973, Marquette (21-11) won it in 1970.
Virginia Tech beat Marquette, 57-54, in January at Milwaukee.
Marquette went 10 1/2 minutes while hitting only one of 14 shots, and Penn State (20-11) led, 36-20, with 2:59 left in the first half.
The Golden Eagles scored the last eight points of the half, a run started with Hutchins’ first two points, and opened the second half with a 20-4 run with Pieper and Hutchins scoring all the points.
Virginia Tech’s Watlington was five for five in the first half, four of them three-point baskets.
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