NEW YORK – If this was the last National Invitation Tournament title game at Madison Square Garden, it certainly was a thriller.
Especially for Xavier.
Jack Nunge made the go-ahead basket with 3.1 seconds left, and the Musketeers won their first NIT championship in 64 years, rallying for a 73-72 victory over Texas A&M on Thursday night.
Colby Jones scored 21 points for Xavier (23-13) and was selected the tournament’s most outstanding player. Dwon Odom added 18, and Nunge had 15 with 11 rebounds to help the Musketeers erase an eight-point halftime deficit.
“I can’t say enough about our guys,” interim coach Jonas Hayes said. “That’s what Xavier basketball is.”
It was the final NIT title game at Madison Square Garden for at least a couple of years, ending a college basketball tradition that dates to 1938. MSG won’t host the semifinals and finals in 2023 and 2024, the NIT announced this week, saying a bid process has begun to find new sites for those years and an announcement is expected this spring.
Nothing has been determined beyond 2024.
“Madison Square Garden is a special court,” Nunge said. “Everybody knows the feel when you’re playing out there and you just want to give it your all – all the history that’s there. I’m just grateful to be part of this team and have our names in the record books.”
Quenton Jackson had 23 points for the Aggies (27-13), left out of the 68-team NCAA tournament despite reaching the Southeastern Conference title game, where they lost to Tennessee, which was given a No. 3 seed for the NCAA bracket and was one of six SEC teams in the field. The Aggies’ absence was a surprising snub by the selection committee that drew criticism from Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams and others.
After getting over their disappointment, the Aggies nearly took the consolation prize by winning the 32-team NIT.
“We’ve been through a lot this year, a lot of ups, a lot of downs, but through it all I think we’ve all learned just how to persevere and remain resilient through everything,” Jackson said. “I think everybody in this room should have learned something from this year. But like I said, it’s probably one of the greater experiences I’ve had playing basketball.”
In a championship game with 17 lead changes, Adam Kunkel made one of two free throws to give Xavier a 71-70 advantage with 1:28 left.
Jackson was fouled by Odom on a drive and sank both free throws to put the Aggies in front with 27 seconds remaining.
Texas A&M blocked a shot out of bounds on the other end, and Xavier inbounded from the baseline. Jones found Nunge inside, and he wheeled into the lane and banked in a one-handed turnaround shot that put Xavier ahead 73-72.
“Ever since Jonas has taken over as head coach, we haven’t really had any out-of-bounds plays,” Nunge said. “I tried to call – look at the bench and call a simple one everybody knows, and Colby looked at me and said he was going to throw me the ball, and I was fortunate enough to knock down the shot.”
The Aggies then called a timeout and still had a chance to win. Tyrece Radford dribbled up the left side of the court and tossed up a runner from the 3-point line that rimmed out.
“Unbelievable game,” said Hayes, a former Georgia player and assistant. “I thought our guys met the challenge. I’m fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to lead these guys for a couple weeks, and these guys deserve the amount of success they have.”
Nunge grabbed the rebound at the buzzer to seal Xavier’s second NIT title. The first came in 1958.
“What has happened in their program over the last two weeks is historical, and any AD that has a job opening should hire the undefeated head coach at Xavier, Coach Hayes,” Williams said.
Hayes took over when head coach Travis Steele was fired after Xavier’s victory over Cleveland State in the first round of the NIT.
Sean Miller, the former Arizona coach, was hired for his second stint at Xavier and will now take charge of the program. A smiling Miller watched from the MSG stands Thursday night. ESPN reported Thursday that Miller has offered Hayes a spot on his staff as associate head coach.
Radford finished with 15 points and Hassan Diarra, a New York City native, added 12 for the Aggies.
Texas A&M had a 10-point lead, its largest of the night, late in the first half.
Jackson and Diarra combined for 22 points to give the Aggies a 40-32 edge at the break. Texas A&M shot 14-for-25 from the field in the first half.
Diarra came off the bench to spark a 18-10 surge over the final six minutes of the half. His layup evened the score at 26, and he capped a 7-0 spurt with a 3 that extended the Aggies’ lead to 31-26.
Jackson then took advantage of a Xavier turnover and ignited another 7-0 run with a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws before Radford tipped in Jackson’s miss to make it 40-30.