The ear-splitting roar at the final buzzer said it all: Minnesota is going back to a Final Four, even if it isn't the one most people will be watching next week.
With hometown favorite Sam Jacobson pirouetting to the deciding layups in the final minute of his last game at Williams Arena, the Golden Gophers beat Marquette 73-71 in the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals Wednesday night.The victory touched off a raucous celebration from the crowd of 11,842, many of whom spilled onto the floor and mobbed coach Clem Haskins as he tried to do a postgame interview.
"I would challenge anyone who says that the NIT isn't exciting," Haskins said, complaining that the roar might have damaged his right eardrum. "If you find an NCAA game more exciting than this, you are nuts. You must be taking the wrong medicine, or you should get your prescription changed."
A senior, Jacobson finished in style in his last home game. He had 16 of his 21 points in the second half, and added 11 rebounds and five assists. After Minnesota wasted a nine-point second-half lead, Jacobson used a nifty spin move to set up a tying scoop layup with 57 seconds left. He rebounded a miss at the other end on Marquette's next possession, then drove to the winning basket with 25 seconds left.
Minnesota will face either Fresno State or Hawaii in a Tuesday night semifinal at New York's Madison Square Garden. The other semifinal will pair Penn State against the winner of tonight's game between Vanderbilt and Georgia.
PENN STATE 75, GEORGIA TECH 70: Greg Grays scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half, including the tiebreaking 3-pointer, as the Nittany Lions won at Georgia Tech.