Tag: nit tournament

Georgia basketball defeats Ohio State to advance to NIT semifinals

Georgia basketball will face Big East school after winning in the NIT quarterfinals against Ohio State

Georgia basketball continued its strong run through the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) with a 79-77 victory in Tuesday night’s quarterfinal matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Senior guard Noah Thomasson took the lead for the Dawgs, scoring 21 points and shooting 50% from the field in his thirty minutes of action, including a two-point jump shot to give the Dawgs the lead with 37 seconds remaining in the game that they would not give up. Jamison Battle lead the way for the Buckeyes with 22 points and eight rebounds.

The win brings Georgia’s record to 20-16 in head coach Mike White’s second season, with a chance to advance to the NIT title game for the first time in program history. Ohio State finishes their season 22-14, with Jake Diebler taking over as the full-time head coach following a strong finish down the stretch as the replacement for longtime head coach Chris Holtmann.

Georgia will face the Seton Hall Pirates who defeated the UNLV Rebels in the NITA quarterfinals. The semifinal matchup will take place on April 2 in Indianapolis.

 

WATCH: Ohio State basketball coach Jake Diebler reacts to Georgia loss in NIT

Hear from Diebler after the loss to Georgia. #GoBucks

The Ohio State basketball team had quite the run to end the season, but it all came to an end on Tuesday night when the Buckeyes finished just one play away from continuing on to the semifinals of the NIT Tournament. OSU fell  to the Georgia Bulldogs by a agonizingly close 79-77 score despite more than one chance to win it at the end of regulation.

The loss ends the season for OSU, but the final chapter was written with some hope for the future. The team played with renewed energy and purpose under new head coach Jake Diebler, and hopefully, the players and program can build upon it and take that momentum into next season.

Diebler was understandably upset after the loss but had to face the music in front of the media afterwards and did so with grace. In case you missed any of what he said, thanks to our friends at the Columbus Dispatch, we have his comments in their entirety.

Ohio State will now go into the offseason and we’ll be on top of any news that comes up until the Scarlet and Gray step back on the court to start the 2024-2025 season.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

PHOTOS of Ohio State basketball’s loss to Georgia in the NIT Tournament

Re-living the last time the Ohio State men’s basketball team will play this season in pictures. #GoBucks

Well, it was fun while it lasted, this end of the season renaissance that was the Ohio State men’s basketball season. After winning nearly winning enough games to get a crack at the NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes had to settle for a No. 2 seed in the NIT Tournament where it continued to show more fire and grit under new head coach Jake Diebler than what we saw under Chris Holtmann.

That all came to an end on Tuesday night when OSU lost to No. 4 seed Georgia, 79-77, in the quarterfinals of the tournament in front of a home crowd at Value City Arena.

Still, it was a good game and one where Ohio State battled back multiple times to fight to the end and have a chance to win it. And while that ultimately didn’t happen, it was good theater and made for some amazing photos of all the action that we’re sharing with you.

Here are some of the best high-resolution photos of Ohio State basketball’s last game in the Schott for the 2023-2024 season.

Ohio State basketball’s season ends in heartbreaking loss to Georgia in NIT quarters

Oh, so close! #GoBucks

The Ohio State basketball’s season has come to an end in heartbreaking fashion in Value City Arena on Tuesday night with a 79-77 loss. The No. 2 seeded Buckeyes matched up with No. 4 seed Georgia and it was a game of back-and-forth runs with the clock seemingly running out on the Scarlet and Gray.

In fact, both halves saw runs both ways with the Bulldogs enjoying the largest leads with OSU battling back each time. The teams went to halftime with Georgia up by just one point, 36-35.

The Dawgs would take control of the game with a double-digit lead more than once in the second half, but as we’ve seen under new head coach, Jake Diebler, the Buckeyes simply wouldn’t give up, eventually taking the lead late.

However, Georgia made one more play than Ohio State and was able to notch the close victory with clutch shots at the end of the game. OSU would have one a couple of chances at the end, but Bruce Thornton’s three-point attempt rimmed out, and one last ditch three-point effort by Jamison Battle to win the game with just 1.3 seconds left was also off the mark.

Battle led Ohio State in scoring with a game high 22 points. Thornton (13), Felix Okpara (12), and Roddy Gayle Jr. (11) also scored in double figures.

The loss closes the books on the 2023-2024 season. OSU ends the campaign with a 22-13 record but with what looks like a bright future if it can carry through the momentum of what we saw at the end of the season.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

 

Ohio State basketball vs. Georgia: How to watch, stream the NIT matchup

One more win and the Buckeyes head to the NIT Final Four. #GoBucks

The Ohio State men’s basketball team continues to play well with new head coach Jake Diebler at the helm. The Buckeyes sent Virginia Tech home with a win on Saturday night by a score of 81-73.

Most thought that would be the last men’s game in The Schott this season, but then Georgia upset No. 1 seed Wake Forest. And since OSU is the higher seed, the Bucks get to host one more game. The Bulldogs were near the bottom of the pack in the SEC standings with a 19-16 overall record and a 6-12 conference record.

If Ohio State can get past UGA on Tuesday night, the team will head to Indianapolis to play in the NIT Final Four at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Basic info

When: Tuesday, March 26, at 7 p.m. ET

Where:  Value City Arena (Columbus, Ohio)

How to watch/stream/listen:

Broadcast: ESPN

Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)

Radio: IMG Radio Network (flagship station WBNS 97.1 The Fan)

Radio announcers:

  • Paul Keels (play-by-play)
  • Ron Stokes (analysis)

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. 

Ohio State basketball vs. Virginia Tech: How to watch, stream the NIT

Ohio State hosts Cornell in the first-round of the NIT. #GoBucks

The Ohio State men’s basketball team took care of business in the opening round of the NIT Tournament but it wasn’t easy. Ivy League foe Cornell proved to be a tough out with its full-court press and backdoor cuts. The Buckeyes were able to come out on top with a five-point victory in the contest.

Now it’s time to move onto the second round where OSU will host the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Hokies come into the match with a 19-14 record and were a middle-of-the-pack ACC team. Tech seems to have the same problem the Buckeyes had earlier in the year… getting wins on the road. The Hokies are just 2-9 away from Blacksburg.

Here’s how to see all the action.

Basic info

When: Saturday, March 23, at 7 p.m. ET

Where:  Value City Arena (Columbus, Ohio)

How to watch/stream/listen:

Broadcast: ESPN+

Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)

Radio: IMG Radio Network (flagship station WBNS 97.1 The Fan)

Radio announcers:

  • Paul Keels (play-by-play)
  • Ron Stokes (analysis)

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. 

Ohio State basketball beats Cornell in first round of NIT Tournament

It wasn’t easy, but OSU took care of business in its first round matchup in the NIT. #GoBucks

The Ohio State men’s basketball team didn’t do quite enough to make the NCAA Tournament, but it’s still playing in the NIT Tournament that kicked off on Tuesday night.

The Buckeyes received a No. 2 seed for the tournament and got quite the test from the Cornell Big Red but were able to make just enough plays down the stretch to pull out a hard fought 88-83 victory on Tuesday night.

It wasn’t the prettiest game, and at times it looked like the Buckeyes weren’t quite as motivated as they were down the stretch of the regular season, but they did enough with the sands of the hourglass running out to notch the first round win.

Jamison Battle and Roddy Gayle Jr. led OSU in scoring, both posting 17 points each in the winning effort. Felix Okpara (16) and Devin Royal (13) also finished in double figures in the winning effort.

Ohio State didn’t have a banner day shooting the ball and had episodes of looking a bit disinterested, but it was able to make the plays when it counted and had a decisive advantage on the boards, 51-32. That and the disparity at the free throw line made the difference.

With the win, OSU will now advance to face the winner of No. 3 seed Virginia Tech and Richmond. That game will also take place inside Value City Arena.

 

Ohio State basketball vs. Cornell: How to watch, stream the NIT

Ohio State hosts Cornell in the first-round of the NIT. #GoBucks

The Ohio State basketball team has been fun to watch since Jake Diebler took over the program. While the Buckeyes came up just a bit short in their bid to get into the NCAA Tournament, the team did get an invite to the NIT as a No. 2 seed. That means Ohio State gets to host the first-round game against Cornell out of the Ivy League.

The Big Red have an overall record of 22-7 and finished tied second in the conference, but lost to eventual conference champ Yale in the Ivy League Tournament.

Time to get ready for some bonus basketball!

Basic info

When: Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. ET

Where:  Value City Arena (Columbus, Ohio)

How to watch/stream/listen:

Broadcast: ESPN2

Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)

Radio: IMG Radio Network (flagship station WBNS 97.1 The Fan)

Radio announcers:

  • Paul Keels (play-by-play)
  • Ron Stokes (analysis)

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. 

Ohio State basketball to take part in NIT Tournament

The Ohio State basketball team will be playing in the postseason. #GoBucks

Newly minted Ohio State men’s basketball coach Jake Diebler will get to continue to showcase his talents before the end of the season. After falling a bit short of an NCAA bid despite a late-season surge, the Buckeyes were selected — and accepted — a No. 2 seed in the NIT Tournament on Sunday night.

The Buckeyes will host a game in Value City Arena against No. 7 seed Cornell on either Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. Ohio State last appeared in the NIT in 2017 under Thad Matta and last won the whole thing in 2008, also with Matta steering the ship.

The fact that OSU is even in the postseason is pretty remarkable considering that it lost nine of eleven games prior to Chris Holtmann being dismissed on February 14. Getting a young team extra practice and playing time could be well worth it, and hey, who knows, maybe playing for a championship — any championship — will get this team to come together even more.

As an official date and time is announced for the game this week, we’ll have it for you so check back.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

NIT to change selection process for 2024, NCAA announces

The NIT Tournament will no longer automatically grant bids to regular-season conference champions who don’t make the NCAA Tournament.

The NIT Tournament will change its qualifying structure and selection criteria for the 2024 tournament, the NCAA announced on Friday.

The NCAA’s statement said automatic bids will now be granted to the two highest-ranked available teams in the NET rankings from each of the biggest six conferences (the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC).

Each of these 12 automatic qualifiers will host their first-round matchup in the tournament.

In previous years, these automatic bids were awarded to any regular-season conference champions who did not win their conference tournament and otherwise failed to be selected for the NCAA Tournament.

“The change to the selection process for the 2024 NIT is a necessary effort to evolve this historic tournament in a dynamic event marketplace,” said Dan Gavitt, NIT board chair and NCAA senior vice president of basketball, in the NCAA release.

Once the 12 automatic selections outlined above are awarded, the NIT Committee will fill in the rest of the bracket with the 20 teams deemed the best available, starting with the first four not selected for March Madness.

The NIT will also widen the free-throw lane from 12 feet to 16 feet, consistent with current NBA regulations.

2024 NIT Tournament selections will be announced on March 17.