April 1, 2010 | AP Press

NEW YORK – Dayton players danced at midcourt and then lingered on ladders as they cut down the nets at Madison Square Garden.

Forgive these Flyers for taking a little extra time to soak it all in. They’re not as accustomed to trophy ceremonies as the North Carolina team they had just beaten.

Marcus Johnson scored 20 points and Dayton denied last year’s national champs another title, topping the Tar Heels 79-68 Thursday night to win the NIT.

“This game kind of is a capsule of our season,” coach Brian Gregory said. “Started off great, had some tough times and then just kind of fight through, and ended up very successful at the end.”

NCAA vice president Greg Shaheen said Thursday no decision has been made about the future of the postseason NIT, which is operated independently by the NCAA.

“Might be a fitting way to end it, for us to win it,” Gregory said.

How down-and-out were these Tar Heels heading into the postseason? When the 32-team NIT draw was announced, they opened at 35-1 odds to win the title.

And while Dayton has been a regular in this event, it was strange to see North Carolina on the college basketball undercard this time of year. One of the sport’s true heavyweights, the Tar Heels own five NCAA national championships, including an 89-72 victory over Michigan State in last year’s title game.

Tom Izzo and the Spartans are back in the Final Four, set to play Butler in Indianapolis on Saturday. North Carolina was left to chase a consolation prize following a 16-16 regular season wrecked by injuries, leaky defense and a string of embarrassing losses.

The blue bloods from Tobacco Road still have one NIT title, which came in 1971.

Every time North Carolina got close in the second half, Dayton had a response.

Tar Heels guard Marcus Ginyard missed a contested layup that could have tied it at 59, and Paul Williams hit one of his four 3s on the other end with 7:46 left.

A 3-pointer by Graves cut UNC’s deficit to 67-63 with 3:37 remaining, but Chris Johnson countered with a 3 of his own and a follow-up dunk to put Dayton up by nine with 2:50 to go.

North Carolina, which committed 15 turnovers, never got closer than five the rest of the way.

“Our guys played with great toughness and desire,” Gregory said. “We answered everything they threw at us.”

This was Dayton’s 22nd appearance in the NIT, second only to St. John’s (27). The Flyers also won it in 1962.

March 31, 2010 | AP Press

NEW YORK – North Carolina wrapped up last season by cutting down the nets during a championship celebration, and the goal all along has been to do it again this year.

The Tar Heels will have their chance Thursday night, under much different circumstances.

Deon Thompson had 16 points and 13 rebounds, helping North Carolina survive a frantic final few seconds and defeat Rhode Island 68-67 in overtime Thursday night in the NIT semifinals.

Will Graves added 14 points and Tyler Zeller had 13 for the Tar Heels (20-16), who will try to make bittersweet history against Dayton by becoming the first school to follow a national title with an NIT championship at Madison Square Garden.

“We enjoyed playing the last Monday night last year, and you know, we play the last Thursday night this year,” coach Roy Williams said. “Playing the last Monday night is better, there’s no question about that. But I do believe that if you’re playing — if they keep playing until there’s only one team standing — it’s very important to be that one team.”

The Tar Heels have played with a sense of desperation during the NIT, almost as if they have a chip on their shoulder, and that was borne out when they scored the final five points of regulation to force overtime.

In the extra session, North Carolina had possession with about 5 seconds left and the shot clock about to expire when Larry Drew II forced up a shot. The rebound eventually wound up in the hands of Rhode Island’s Lamonte Ulmer, who lost control of the ball as he rushed up court moments before the buzzer sounded, never coming close to getting off a shot.

Rhode Island coach Jim Baron thought he had been tripped and a foul should have been called, an opinion that North Carolina coach Roy Williams readily supported.

“We got the rebound and we were aiming to push it down the other end,” Baron said. “I thought there was some contact and he tripped.”

Ulmer finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for Rhode Island (26-10), which was trying to reach the NIT championship game for the first time since the 1945-46 season. Keith Cothran scored 23 points and Delroy James finished with 13.

“Those guys played with a tremendous amount of heart,” Baron said. “That’s why I told them how proud I was, they put it all out there.”

The final seconds of overtime mirrored a frenetic end to regulation.

The game was tied 59-all when James missed two free throws with 28.6 seconds left. North Carolina tracked down the rebound and, after a timeout, Drew allowed the shot clock to run down to 6 seconds before taking a closely guarded 3-pointer that never had a chance.

“One of the players said in the locker room, ‘Sometimes it helps to win ugly,’” Williams said, “and we did win ugly today.”

Defense played a big part in it.

The Tar Heels ended up with 27 offensive rebounds and 60 total, compared to 45 for the Rams. Rhode Island also turned the ball over 18 times, including that critical miscue with the seconds ticking down in overtime.

“We didn’t execute very well and you hate to end the game like that in such an ugly way,” Drew said, “but sometimes that’s how it is in the game of basketball.”

It sure was a strange sight to see North Carolina, the bluest of the bluebloods, playing on a Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden — especially when the most important games are being played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Injuries and inexperience combined to send the Tar Heels’ season spiraling out of control, and they didn’t recover until their chances of making the NCAA tournament — and defending the title they earned by beating Michigan State last March — had disappeared entirely.

Relegated to playing in a tournament for also-rans, the Tar Heels went on the road to defeat Mississippi State and Alabama-Birmingham before knocking off a Rhode Island team that had the best RPI of any program that failed to make the NCAA tournament.

The season still ended up being a success for Rhode Island, which could have matched the school record for wins in a season had it won the NIT championship.

The Rams’ faithful certainly turned out in droves for the semifinals, easily outnumbering the Tar Heels fans clad in baby blue. They kept cheering until the final turnover in overtime, imploring a veteran team for one more night in the spotlight.

Instead, it will be North Carolina playing for yet another championship.

Even if it’s not what anybody expected.

“You know, I have a great appreciation of this tournament, I have a great appreciation of the tradition, the history of the NIT,” Williams said. “If you win this tournament, you have to feel good about it.”

November 17, 2008 | AP Press

VILLANOVA, Pa. — Dante Cunningham needed to get loud to really get noticed.

Villanova Jay Wright wants Cunningham to become more of a consistent scorer this season and add another threat to the Wildcats’ guard-oriented offense. The first step for the senior forward was demanding the ball.

Cunningham asked for it and delivered the best all-around game of his career.

“He can score, he can really score,” Wright said.

Cunningham proved that Monday night.

He had a career-high 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher each scored 17 points to lead No. 23 Villanova past Fordham 107-68.

Cunningham scored 19 points in the first half, nearly matching his previous best of 21, to help the Wildcats (2-0) pull away early. The 6-foot-8 senior converted a three-point play in the opening minute of the second half to give him 22 points, and did it again about a minute later to stretch the lead to 62-40 and all but wrap up Villanova’s 17th straight win at home.

Cunningham said he decided to take Wright’s advice and let the Wildcats know he was a primary option.

“I’m starting to get more and more comfortable with it,” he said.

Cunningham finished 11-of-17 from the field and 9-for-12 from the line. He was two rebounds shy of matching his career best.

“I think I’ve just been working a lot more on understanding where the shots are coming from on the court,” he said. “I was just comfortable out there.”

The Wildcats got a nice surprise when forward Shane Clark returned only 11 days after surgery on his right knee. Clark, who averaged 7.1 points and 4.3 points in 32 games last season, was expected to miss 3-to-6 weeks. Instead, he checked in 6 1/2 minutes into the game and scored the first time he touched the ball for a 17-11 lead.

The Wildcats worked the ball inside again two possessions later and Clark, playing with a brace on his right knee, made it 2-for-2 with another easy basket. Clark was cleared to practice over the weekend

“He said he was good, he looked good,” Wright said. “He’s so smart and experienced. He does all the little things. It was great to have him out there.”

Villanova played without 6-10 center Casiem Drummond (foot) and swingman Dwayne Anderson missed his second straight game (foot).

Wright expected Anderson to miss a few weeks, while Drummond could return for Wednesday’s game against Niagara.

The Wildcats could afford to rest them for this one. Or the rest of the nonconference season. Hard to see over the next couple of weeks where an absent player or two will make much of a difference with this kind of soft schedule.

The Wildcats played their second of eight straight games in the Philadelphia area and none expect to seriously test the Wildcats. Niagara and Monmouth are on the schedule this week, and the Wildcats’ first stiff test comes against No. 7 Texas at the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 9 at Madison Square Garden.

“As long as everybody else stays healthy, this is good for us,” Wright said.

Fordham (0-2) shot the 3-pointer early and often to try and pull the upset. The plan might have worked if the Rams could made a few. Showing no patience on offense, the Rams dribbled around the 3-point line and fired. Make it, misfired.

The Rams went 5-for-19 in the first half and a woeful 8-of-26 overall.  Brenton Butler led Fordham with 17 points.

Trey Blue banked a wild 3 from in front of the scorer’s table late in the first half, causing Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds to smile in disbelief.

With no starter taller than 6-foot-5, the Rams didn’t match up well against the Wildcats and hoped a few quick 3s would catch them by surprise.

“We had to try and take those shots,” Fordham coach Dereck Whittenburg said. “We didn’t want to take that many. We needed to also run some offense.”

Villanova enjoyed running the offense through Cunningham.

With the student section chanting, “You can’t stop him!” Cunningham went inside for another easy basket in the second half to make it 86-55 and give him 29 points. He made a layup with 7:31 left to put him over the 30-point mark. He could have easily scored 40 if Wright left him in, but he was pulled at the next timeout.

“That’s what I felt great about tonight, Dante wanting it and continuing to want it,” Wright said.

The Wildcats broke the 100-point mark for the first time since scoring 103 vs. Hartford on Dec. 14, 2007.

November 12, 2008 | AP Press

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Despite opening up a 15-point first half lead, the UMass men’s basketball team couldn’t hold off a charging Southern Illinois Salukis squad, which used a late 12-0 run to turn a two-point deficit into a 10-point advantage on its way to an 80-73 win on Wednesday night. With the loss, the Minutemen have been eliminated from the 2K Sports Classic, falling one win shy of a return trip to Madison Square Garden where last season’s memorable NIT run culminated. Junior Ricky Harris was the offensive star for the Minutemen while senior Tony Gaffney shined on the defensive end with a career-high seven blocks. UMass now looks ahead to a meeting with former bench boss John Calipari and his Memphis Tigers in a game slated to begin at midnight following the Nov. 17 Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills Monday Night Football game.

UMass shot 45% from the field (23-for-51), including 40% from three-point range. The Salukis used a hot second half to reach 48% shooting for the game (30-for-64), 41% from long distance (9-for-22). The Minutemen won the battle of the boards, 38-26, including 12 on the offensive end.

Harris impressed with a 7-for-14 shooting night, including 4-of-9 from behind the arc and 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. Sophomore Anthony Gurley chipped in with 15 points (5-for-10), 10 of which came in the first half.

Gaffney finished with six points and nine rebounds to go along with the seven blocks. He continued his high-energy pace from the get-go with a blocked shot less than five minutes into the game, springing freshman David Gibbs for a layup and the 14-4 lead. Gaffney later cleaned up freshman Tyrell Lynch’s miss and scored on the put back to make it 30-20 in favor of the Minutemen.

After Southern Illinois’ Bryan Mullins scored the game’s first points, UMass responded to close out the first half with a bang. The Minutemen went on to score seven-consecutive to make it 7-2 capped off with one of Harris’ four threes. UMass opened up a double-figure lead, with its biggest advantage being 15 after a Lowe three-pointer at the 3:08 mark which made it 39-24.

Trailing by as many as 15, the Salukis used an 11-0 run spanning the end of the first half and the start of the second to pull right back within four at 39-35 with 18:26 still remaining. The Minutemen responded with two Lowe free throws and a Harris three pointer to reopen a nine-point advantage, 44-35.

Southern Illinois’ hot streak continued, culminated by its first lead since it was 2-0, as Kevin Dillard’s fourth three-point field goal of the second half made it 53-51 in favor of the Salukis with 11:55 remaining in the contest.

The back-and-forth half continued as the Minutemen responded with a 7-0 run to retake a five-point advantage at 58-53. The Salukis then used a run of their own (7-1) to retake a one-point lead at 60-59 with 6:42 remaining in the game.

The score was later tied at 60, 63, 65, and 67 before the Salukis took over with three minutes remaining to open up a 10-point lead at 77-67 after two Dillard free throws.

November 11, 2008 | AP Press

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Behind double-doubles from seniors Chris Lowe and Tony Gaffney, the Minutemen kicked off a new era of UMass men’s basketball with a 90-71 win over Arkansas-Monticello in Derek Kellogg’s head coaching debut on Tuesday evening. Lowe (18 points, 11 assists) finished just four assists shy of tying the school-record of 15 while Gaffney’s double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds) was the first of his collegiate career. The final three minutes of the first half proved to be the difference as the Minutemen erased a two-point deficit with a 15-4 run to take a nine-point advantage heading into the locker room. With the win, the Minutemen advance to face the winner of California (Pa.) and host Southern Illinois in the regional final of the 2K Sports Classic on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, with a trip to Madison Square Garden on the line.

Junior Ricky Harris avenged a slow start to pour in 22 points, two rebounds, and three steals. He finished 7-of-19 from the floor and 5-of-9 from behind the three-point arc despite the NCAA moving back the three point line a foot this year.

Ricky, what are your thoughts on the 3pt line being pushed back a foot this year?

“I don’t think it changes things that much,” UMass guard Ricky Harris said. “If I’m open, I still have the confidence. It doesn’t change the shot selection.

“It wasn’t like our toes were always on the line when we shot them last year,” said Harris, who scored 22 points and went 5-of-9 from 3-point range.

For the game, the Minutemen shot 46% (31-67) and 44% (12-27) from three-point range. Rebounds were even at 41-41, a number coming on the offensive end (18 for UMass and 19 for Arkansas-Monticello).

After surviving a first-half scare, the Minutemen came out strong out of the locker room to seal the victory in the second. Arkansas-Monticello wouldn’t go away, pulling back within 11 at 67-56. Freshman David Gibbs responded with a three-pointer, the first collegiate points of his career, to make it 70-56.

Gaffney’s alley-oop from freshman Tyrell Lynch was icing on the cake, making it 83-64 with three minutes remaining in the second half. The Minutemen would go on to open up two 21-point leads, their largest leads of the game, at 88-67 and 90-69.

UMass controlled play early in the first half, taking an 11-point advantage at 14-3 after senior Luke Bonner’s three-pointer at the 16:06 mark. Arkansas-Monticello hung tough, eventually taking a 33-31 advantage, but the Minutemen answered with a 13-0 run (and 15-4 to end the half), for the 47-38 halftime lead.

The Minutemen now look ahead to a date with either Southern Illinois or California (Pa.) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. The winner of the Southern Illinois region faces the winner of the Duke region in the 2K Sports Classic Semifinals held next Thursday, Nov. 20, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

November 10, 2008 | AP Press

The college basketball season got underway with games in the Durham regional of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.#5 Duke defeated Presbyterian, 80-49, as Kyle Singler posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He led four Blue Devils in double-figures. In the first game, Georgia Southern beat Houston, 65-63.

Massachusetts, Michigan and Southern Illinois will begin play tonight.   #4 UCLA begins their regional on Wednesday. Regional games take place between November 10-13 with the four winners advancing to the Championship Rounds, November 20 & 21, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

ESPN will televise a total of 10 games of the tournament, including the Championship Round doubleheaders on November 20th & 21st.

The inclusion of Division II teams in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer is a result of recent NCAA legislation increasing the number of games that teams are allowed to play and the increased number of early season tournaments. Additionally, there is an interesting history dating back to 1982 when NAIA Chaminade upset the nation’s top ranked team, Virginia, in a season opening tournament. Currently, these events can provide opportunities for teams to gain exposure which would not otherwise exist by giving them the chance to represent their institution on a national stage and give their student-athletes a competitive experience unlike the rest of their schedule.

2K Sports will be the title sponsor of the event for the fourth consecutive year. 2K Sports develops and publishes the popular and highly acclaimed 2K series of sports video games including the “NBA 2K” series – the best selling and best rated next-generation basketball videogame on the market. 2K Sports is known for delivering the most innovative and realistic sports simulation gaming experience to fans every year.

The Coaches vs. Cancer program, a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), exists to leverage the strength, community leadership and celebrity of the nation’s basketball coaches, to raise awareness and reduce cancer risk through education programs while raising funds for the American Cancer Society’s fight against cancer. Since 1996, the event has raised more than $4 million for the benefit of Coaches vs. Cancer.

The 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer is produced by The Gazelle Group in Princeton, N.J. The Gazelle Group is a sports marketing firm, specializing in event production and management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. Gazelle produces numerous nationally-recognized events, such as the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic, the Legends Classic and the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). For more information on the Gazelle Group, please visit gazellegroup.com.