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The NIT Division I Men's Basketball Tournament (1938-) - 2016 Final: George Washington 76 - Valparaiso 60


DanielK

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Villanova! I recently posted about Butler almost upsetting Duke - is Villanova's buzzer-beater even bigger than that shot would have been?

This was surely a Top 5 NCAA Final ending (and I'm not even thinking of, or comparing, any other game - it just *had* to be).

"Villanova Clips North Carolina on Buzzer Beater for National Championship" by Nicole Auerbach on usatoday.com (the video is in that article).

Butler beating Duke would've been WAY bigger. Nova over Carolina is barely an upset.

True.  But this was a very very good game to watch as a fan of college basketball.  Not only were both teams putting out 110%, but these are basically guys who won't be seen in the NBA and aren't top draft picks.  A very nice change.  Secondly, my vote for best shot was definitely the UNC 3 pointer that tied the game and made us all think that it was going to OT.  To think that Villanova's ethos of it being a team game would lead to a high scoring guard shoveling the ball to a teammate with 3 seconds left is just perfect.  As was the shot.  Heartbreaking for UNC but I gotta say that I love that Rollie got to see another championship team.

Ditto to EVERYTHING Steve R said above.  Excellent game, competition, intensity, strategies and implementation into a very competitive watchable match and game.  While I've enjoyed college basketball I didn't catch a lot of this year's tournament.  Regardless I'm a fan of "One Shining Moment"....and if you also enjoy them

heeere's 30 of them.....

OK, so it essentially is an award for finishing 69th, but proud of my GWU Colonials who won the NIT!

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OK, so it essentially is an award for finishing 69th, but proud of my GWU Colonials who won the NIT!

Hey, as well you should be - I would rather win the NIT, than lose in the round of 64 or 32 of the NCAA's - it's only when you get to the Sweet Sixteen when the NCAA's define a more successful post-season, at least in my eyes.

I never knew that the NCAA "owned" the NIT Tournament - they bought it in 2005 from the Metropolitan Invitational Basketball Association (MIBA).

And, the NIT Tournament is one year *older* than the NCAA Tournament, too.

So go ahead and be proud - you should be. I still remember the banner draped from the rafters of Cole Field House, memorializing the University of Maryland's 1972 victory (with Tom McMillen, Len Elmore, and Jim O'Brien (yes, I had season tickets (my uncle was a professor there), and actually remember Jim O'Brien)) - that was a *very* good team.

Jim O'Brien, by the way, was born in Falls Church, and played for J.E.B. Stewart HS.

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 OK, so it essentially is an award for finishing 69th, but proud of my GWU Colonials who won the NIT!

Possibly about 15 years ago a friend turned me on to watching GW home basketball games at their arena on campus.  As he described its the best  kept secret of quality basketball in the DC area with many attributes:

1.  Its amazingly accessible primarily by Metro

2.  The arena is small and you are close to the action

3.  The games are remarkably and relatively inexpensive.

4.  There are always seats.

5.  These are great quality games.  GW has not been in a major college league during that entire period but always in some "mid-major" college division.  Watch enough though and every year there are players who go into the pros.  At the time my friend was raving about David West, then in college playing in the same league as GW.  West is nearing the end of a long quality pro career now playing for the San Diego Spurs.  There have been many players of that quality or ilk who have played at GW's home court over the years.

6.  Regardless if there aren't a majority of future pros playing these are high quality basketball players who play great games often with great coaching.  Its all visible up close and at a ridiculously low price.

7.  To tie it to this forum...we found quite a few fine places around there to eat or drink....okay...mostly drink.   ;)   Never had to worry about driving home.   :D

and with all that...congrats to GW basketball for winning the NIT.  Over the years I've found those teams to be very entertaining.

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