In college basketball, there are second chances. Just ask Georgetown and Minnesota, this year's finalists in the refuge for the unchosen - the NIT.
The Hoyas and Gophers proved Monday night that college basketball in March doesn't need an overload of hype and a host of conference champions, it only needs teams fighting for one more game, one more chance.Georgetown and Minnesota have had that extra chance four times in the NIT so far, and came up winners each time. So even though they'll be playing for a sort of booby prize Wednesday night, they'll still have a chance to play in a true championship game.
The Hoyas prevailed in a low-scoring matchup, coming back from a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat Alabama-Birmingham 44-41. Minnesota advanced in a much more athletic and entertaining game, outlasting Providence 76-70.
So, is anyone regretting the second-class circumstances?
"To me, it's a championship," Minnesota coach Clem Haskins said.
"When I pleyed here in 1965, everyone wanted to win the NIT, not the NCAA, so that's what I tell my players. It's a very big deal to us."
Pretty strong words from a coach who was irate 21/2 weeks ago when the NCAA passed over his team on selection day. Haskins and his Gophers are making the NIT their proving ground, trying to show the selection committee was wrong.
"We're showing that we really do belong by being our best in this tournament," said Voshon Lenard, a sophomore guard who scored 10 straight points as Minnesota came back from an 11-point second-half deficit against Providence.
Georgetown coach John Thompson sees things a little differently, but that's because his Hoyas were out of the hunt for an NCAA berth midway trough the Big East regular season.
His team, with a starting lineup of two freshmen, a sophomore and two juniors, is using the NIT as a learning experience.
The final shapes up as a battle of Minnesota's wide-open, NBA-like game vs. Georgetown's tentative, height-oriented style.
The Gophers reached this point with an 8-point victory over Florida, a 14-point win over Oklahoma, an 18-point win over Southern Cal and Monday's win at Madison Square Garden. Minnesota was the only NIT entrant to play its first three tournament games at home.
Georgetown beat Arizona State by 10, UTEP by 27 and Miami of Ohio by 13 before Monday's game.