NIT Season Tip-Off: BC Wins East Crown, Loyola College Loses Consolation

On Tuesday night in the NIT Season Tip-Off, host Boston College (3-0) defeated St. John's (2-1), 82-70.  BC senior guard Tyrese Rice scored 28 points and had nine assists and five rebounds.  Sophomore forward Joe Tripani had 19 points and four rebounds. 

Boston College is now the East champ and will play the winner of the North region, Purdue, in Madison Square Garden next Wednesday, Nov. 26.  Purdue, ranked 10 and 11 in the national polls, won the North bracket by defeating Loyola of Chicago last night, 78-46.

Boston College is unranked.  In the ACC preseason media poll, BC was picked to finish number 11 in the ACC this year, ahead of last place Virginia.  BC next plays at Saint Louis on Saturday before heading to New York for the semifinal against Purdue.

In a consolation game played at BC yesterday, Loyola College of Maryland (1-3) lost to a competitive Cornell club, 82-72.   Playing for the third consecutive day, a tired Loyola team only made 36.6 percent of its field goals (26/71) versus 48.0 percent (25/62) for Cornell (1-1).

Cornell's junior forward, 6'6" Ryan Whittman, led all scorers with 24 points.  Seven-foot senior center Jeff Foote scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Loyola was led by sophomore guard Tony Lewis with 23 points and eight rebounds.  Junior guard Brett Harvey tossed in 18 points.  Once again, Loyola was outrebounded (50-36).

Boston College and Purdue (3-0) will be joined in the semifinals by South champ Oklahoma (3-0).  The Sooners are ranked 14 and 12 in the coaches' and writers' polls.  Last night, they narrowly defeated Davidson (1-1), ranked 21 in both polls, 82-78. 

Oklahoma won despite 44 points from Davidson's 6'3" junior guard, Stephen Curry.  Oklahoma's 6'9" sophomore forward Blake Griffin scored 25 points and pulled in 21 rebounds.  This was an eventful game.

Oklahoma's opponent in the semifinal will be the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  UAB (3-0) defeated Arizona last night by one point, 72-71.  Senior guard Paul Delaney III made a free throw with 0.8 seconds left to clinch the game.

The championship game will be played the day after Thanksgiving at Madison Square Garden.  The semifinals and the final will be broadcast on ESPN2.