NIT 2012 Final: Stanford Will End Magical Minnesota Run

Minnesota has been battered but not beaten in a terrific NIT run. That all changes when they play a stronger, deeper and more athletic Stanford squad in the championship game Thursday. 

After a few weeks of seeing tenacious athletes get after it, the NIT will come to a close with just two teams left standing, both looking for that crowning achievement to cap off a memorable season. 

For Minnesota, the road has been a tumultuous one, as two of their key players have been absent from the NIT due to injury. 

The Golden Gophers began the season with bad news and proved able to survive just fine. They lost star forward Trevor Mbakwe to a season-ending knee injury in just their seventh game. 

If that weren't enough to contend with, Minnesota has also been without senior center Ralph Sampson III for the past six games thanks to a sprained right knee. 

This has forced players like freshman Andre Hollins to grow up in a hurry. The young guard was fantastic against Washington in the semifinals, scoring 20 points on 6-for-14 shooting. 

It's enough to make you really hopeful for next season, as the NIT run will be one long teachable moment for the younger core of this team. 

Sometimes enough is enough, though, and Stanford comes in with size and athleticism that will destroy that Cinderella mystique Minnesota has been playing with. 

The Cardinal have relied heavily on players like Josh Owens and the dynamic Chasson Randle, but a cold streak in their semifinal game against UMass saw another budding star emerge in Anthony Brown. 

The sophomore guard provided the last bit of punch Stanford needed to get here, with 18 points on 7-for-12 shooting. 

It means the Cardinal are coming in with far more weapons at their disposal than Minnesota, and this will be the reason that a team teetering on defeat all season will finally be put to rest. 

The Cardinal are clicking right now and have a deeper complement of versatile athletes, and that is just too much for Minnesota to handle right now. 

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