NIT 2012 Semi-Finals: Pac 12 Teams Will Be Stopped Short of Championship Game

While there is potential for an all Pac-12 final in the NIT, both Stanford and Washington will be stopped short of the tournament's championship game, ending what's been a dismal year for the conference on the hardwood. 

Stanford and Washington will both be on the wrong side of the scoreboard on Tuesday night in New York, but for different reasons.

Washington

Something that I absolutely see lacking from Washington is incentive. They were the Pac-12's top team during the regular season, yet they walked away without a tournament bid. Minnesota, on the other hand, would greatly benefit from at least making the finals of this tournament, as that's still a growing program in a tough Big Ten.

I look at what the Golden Gophers have done in this tournament and can't help but be impressed. Miami was a fringe tournament team that was absolutely flattened by Minnesota. The fact that they're heating up now is important, as single-elimination tournaments are more about confidence than anything else. 

Minnesota has Rodney Williams, Julian Welch, Austin Hollins, Andre Hollins and Ralph Sampson III, who can all carry the team on runs or help neutralize any big runs from the Huskies. It will be an upset, but the Gophers will take this one. 

The Huskies can score a lot, but they can't stop anyone. Minnesota can do that, which will pull the game out in the end. 

Prediction: Minnesota 77, Washington 73

Stanford

This is pretty simple. UMass is better in every aspect of the game. They score better, rebound better and move the ball around better. There is nothing that Stanford can really rely on, which will keep them from claiming a victory.

More importantly, the best player on the court (Chaz Williams) belongs to the Minutemen. In basketball, the team with the top player and best scorer on the floor has a big advantage, and that's UMass. Williams is just under 17 points a game, which is much better than anyone Stanford has to offer (Chasson Randle is just under 14). 

As if that wasn't enough, UMass also has more options that can take over the game. Even if by some chance Williams is shut down, the rest of the team is balanced enough to pull a win off. That just isn't the case with Stanford.

Prediction: UMass 76, Stanford 70

Remaining NIT Schedule:

	Teams	Date	Time (ET)	TV
Semifinal 1	Washington vs. Minnesota	Tuesday, March 27	7 p.m.	ESPN2
Semifinal 2	Stanford vs. UMass	Tuesday, March 27	9 p.m.	ESPN2
Final	Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner	Thursday, March 29	7 p.m.	ESPN

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