NIT 2014: Schedule, Live Stream and Bracket Predictions for Semifinals
Only four teams remain alive in the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) as the championship action heads to Madison Square Garden this week.
With three of the tournament's top seeds having advanced through the first three rounds, Tuesday will feature a pair of marquee semifinal matchups. In the first, third-seeded Clemson will battle Larry Brown's SMU Mustangs, who have won 26 games this season.
Afterward, it'll be Leonard Hamilton's Florida State Seminoles taking on Richard Pitino's Minnesota Golden Gophers for the right to play for the tournament title on Thursday.
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With the NCAA tournament out of the picture until Saturday, let's get you set with everything you need to know ahead of Tuesday's NIT action.
| Tue, April 1 | (3) Clemson vs. (1) SMU | 7 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN |
| Tue, April 1 | (1) Florida State vs. (1) Minnesota | 9 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN |
No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 1 SMU (-3)
The Mustangs, who many believe were snubbed from the NCAA tournament field of 68, have stepped up this postseason rather than experience a letdown, beating UC Irvine, LSU and California en route to the semifinals.
Unsurprisingly, Brown's squad has done it with ball movement and accurate shooting. SMU's 15.2 assists per game rank 35th in the nation and its 48.7 team field-goal percentage is good for 16th-best in the country.
On the other side, the Tigers have relied on the strong play of junior forward K.J. McDaniels, who leads the team while averaging 17.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. In the NIT, McDaniels is averaging more than 19 points and eight rebounds per contest, propelling Clemson offensively and on the boards.
But the 6'6" star will need plenty of help from Rod Hall, Damarcus Harrison and others if Clemson is going to get past SMU.
The Mustangs score points by committee and are as unselfish a team that you'll find in college basketball.
If there's a player that will need to bring his A-game in order for SMU to advance to the final, it's 6'9" sophomore Markus Kennedy, who leads the team with seven rebounds per game and ranks second in scoring. Kennedy posted a big-time double-double (19 points and 10 rebounds) against California in the quarterfinals and will need a similar effort for SMU on Tuesday.
With both teams evenly matched, picking a winner is tough. But considering neither will have a home-court advantage to provide them with added energy in New York, the Tigers appear to be a safe bet. After all, SMU is just 6-6 on the road and 2-2 at neutral sites this season. American Athletic Conference associate commissioner John Griffin highlights the Mustangs' lack of history at the Garden:
The Tigers will be slight underdogs when they take to the court, but in a close, defensive battle, there are few teams as tested as Clemson.
Not to mention one of SMU's two non-conference losses this season came on a neutral floor to an ACC foe in Virginia.
Prediction: Clemson defeats SMU
No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 1 Minnesota (Even)
Tuesday's second semifinal will be a rematch of a Dec. 3 meeting between Florida State and Minnesota at Williams Arena in Minneapolis in a game the Golden Gophers won by 10 points.
Minnesota was led by Andre and Austin Hollins in that game, and they will call on the talented guard duo to deliver against the Seminoles for a second time this season.
Keep in mind that the two stars aren't related.
Meanwhile, Florida State will rely on the trio of Aaron Thomas, Ian Miller and Okaro White, who are each averaging more than 13 points per game in 2013-14.
Thomas has been an absolute stud in the NIT, averaging 23 points and six rebounds per game. Therefore, it's safe to say that Minnesota will need to contain the 6'5" sophomore guard in order to have a chance to advance.
Louisiana Tech head coach Michael White, whose team fell to Florida State in the quarterfinals, had high praise for Thomas, per the Associated Press (via USA Today): "He's a freak of an athlete with ball skills. He's a really tough cover."
The Osceola's Tim Linafelt breaks down Thomas' sensational play of late:
Although both top seeds have proved awfully tough to beat on their home courts, the neutral site should even the playing field, which favors Florida State's talented trio.
With Thomas showing no signs of slowing and the Seminoles finding different ways to win close games, you've got to like Florida State's chances of avenging their December loss and reaching Thursday's final.
Prediction: Florida State defeats Minnesota
*All spread info according to Covers.com.
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