NIT 2012 Bracket: Washington vs. Minnesota Semifinal a Battle of High-Fly Acts

Do you like dunks? In your mind, is college basketball at its best when both teams are scampering up and down the floor like fillies in the Kentucky Derby, hoping to rock the rim at every turn, and, if that doesn't work, wine and dine the twine from behind the three-point line?

Then (believe it or not) the Final Four of the 2012 NIT Championship is perfect for you!

Yeah, I know, it's not quite as sexy as that other Final Four down in New Orleans next weekend, but don't tell that to Washington and Minnesota.

The top-seeded Huskies have parlayed the bitter disappointment of being the first-ever regular-season champion of a Big Six conference to be snubbed by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee into wins over Texas-Arlington, Northwestern and Pac-12 regional rival Oregon.

As has been the case all season, Lorenzo Romar's squad has been led in the NIT by the explosive backcourt of Terrence Ross (26.3 points per game in the NIT), freshman phenom Tony Wroten (22 points against Oregon) and Abdul Gaddy (11 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds against the Ducks).

Meanwhile, the sixth-seeded Golden Gophers have gashed their way through La Salle, Miami and Middle Tennessee, with head coach Tubby Smith unleashing high fliers like Rodney Williams and Andre Hollins on the opposition. Hollins has been a revelation of late for Minnesota, averaging 18.1 points per game over his last seven contests, including a 24-point, six-rebound, four-assist assault on the Blue Raiders on Wednesday.

Both teams are replete with athletes ready to unleash some spectacular finishes to impress the spectators at the roundball Mecca of Madison Square Garden next week. Be sure to tune in on March 27th to see these two teams tangle, with UW coming away with an ever-so-slight edge on talent and depth.

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