Latest news with #NationalInvitationTournament
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Today in Sports - George Mason become first No. 11 seed to reach men's Final Four since LSU in 1986
Today in Sports - George Mason become first No. 11 seed to reach men's Final Four since LSU in 1986 March 26 1944 — St. John's, coached by Joe Lapchick, cruises by DePaul 47-39 to become the first back-to-back winner of the National Invitation Tournament. 1946 — Hank Iba's Oklahoma A&M Aggies beat North Carolina 43-40 for their second straight NCAA men's basketball title. Bob Kurland scores 23 points, including the first two dunks in NCAA tournament history. Advertisement 1949 — Alex Groza leads Kentucky to a 46-36 victory over Oklahoma State for the NCAA championship. 1952 — Kansas' Clyde Lovelette scores 33 points to lead the Jayhawks to a 80-63 win over St. John's for the NCAA basketball title. 1972 — The Los Angeles Lakers beat Seattle 124-98 to finish the season at 69-13, the best record in NBA history, until the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls finish at 72-10. 1973 — Bill Walton scores 44 points to help UCLA win its record seventh NCAA basketball championship with an 87-66 triumph over Memphis State. 1974 — George Foreman knocks out Ken Norton in the second round in Caracas, Venezuela, to retain the world heavyweight title. Advertisement 1979 — 41st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Michigan State beats Indiana State, 75-64; marks start of rivalry between future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Larry Bird; highest-rated game in history of televised college basketball. 1994 — Utah's John Stockton becomes the second player in NBA history to collect 2,000 career steals. Stockton gets a pair of steals during a 98-83 loss at Houston to join Maurice Cheeks, who finished his career with 2,310 steals. 2005 — In the NCAA men's basketball regional finals, Louisville and Illinois make tremendous comebacks to force overtime and advance. Louisville, trailing by 20 to a West Virginia, complete an amazing come-from-behind 93-85 win. Illinois, trailing by 15 with just four minutes to play, went on a dazzling 20-5 run to send Arizona to a crushing 90-89 defeat. 2006 — George Mason stuns No. 1 seed Connecticut 86-84 in overtime to become the first No. 11 seed to reach the men's Final Four since LSU in 1986. Advertisement 2011 — Shelvin Mack scores 27 points, including five in overtime, as Butler returns to the Final Four with a 74-71 victory over Florida in the Southeast regional. 2012 — Jaime Alas scores in stoppage time and El Salvador forges a 3-3 tie that ousts the United States from Olympic qualifying. The Americans miss the Olympics for the second time since 1976. 2016 — Breanna Stewart has 22 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks to lead No. 1 UConn to a 98-38 record rout of fifth-seeded Mississippi State in the Bridgeport regional semifinals. The victory supplants the record 51-point win the Huskies had over Texas in the regional semifinals last year that set the NCAA record for margin of victory in the regional rounds and beyond. 2017 — Luke Maye hits a jumper with 0.3 seconds left, and top-seeded North Carolina holds off Kentucky 75-73 in the South Regional to earn a second straight trip to the Final Four and 20th all-time. _____
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local Chattanooga Company, Praters Flooring, Plays Key Role in Championship Win with Custom PlayOn™ Decals
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A local Chattanooga business made a big impact on the hardwood on April 3rd. Praters Flooring, an industry leader in sports flooring and custom court graphics, proudly provided the PlayOn™ decals used during a pivotal game where the local Chattanooga Mocs clinched a major victory. The game was held at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University in Indianapolis, a venue steeped in college basketball tradition. The playing surface was outfitted with Praters' signature PlayOn™ decals, designed for easy application and removal, ensuring top-tier performance while giving the floor a professional, branded look. "We take a lot of pride in what we do, but nothing feels better than seeing our work make a difference right here at home," said John Prater, President of Praters Flooring. "To know that a team from our own Chattanooga community won on such a large stage, and on a floor we helped bring to life, is incredibly meaningful." Praters Flooring employs more than 80 individuals in the Chattanooga area and is proud to contribute to the local economy and community. The company is always on the lookout for dedicated, local talent interested in joining a fun, fast-paced industry. From court production to event execution, Praters offers a unique opportunity to be part of a team that brings basketball experiences to life at every level of the game. Praters has proudly partnered with the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) for the last two years, providing flooring expertise and custom graphics, and looks forward to continuing that strong relationship for seasons to come. Throughout the championship events at Hinkle, the Praters Events Team was on-site to change court graphics in real time, transitioning between NIT and WBIT (Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament) branding as needed. In a fitting hometown connection, Chattanooga's own home court is a Praters portable floor, further deepening the local ties between the company and the city's sports success. About Praters Flooring:Headquartered in Rossville, GA, Praters Flooring is a nationally recognized leader in basketball court finishing, portable flooring systems, and custom event graphics. From NCAA tournaments to high school gyms and NBA arenas, Praters delivers championship-level quality to every court they touch. Company Contact: Anna Prater, Marketing Manager423-899-8676, anna@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Praters Athletic Flooring Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lipscomb basketball coach Lennie Acuff resigns, replaces Bucky McMillan at Samford
After leading Lipscomb basketball to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, coach Lennie Acuff resigned Wednesday and was named Samford's coach. Acuff replaced Bucky McMillan, who resigned after the season and was named Texas A&M's coach. Advertisement Acuff, 60, had been Bisons coach since 2019. Lipscomb went 25-10 this past season and won the Atlantic Sun Conference regular season and tournament championships. After earning the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA tournament Lipscomb lost to Iowa State 82-55 in the first round. Acuff, who is from Huntsville, Alabama, posted a 110-71 record at Lipscomb. His career record, including 22 years at Alabama-Huntsville and three years at Berry College is 643-395. 'Lennie has led our program with integrity and a deep commitment to our student-athletes, and we are extremely grateful for the impact he has made on the Bison basketball program during his time at Lipscomb," Lipscomb athletic director Philip Hutcheson said in a release. "This was a tremendous opportunity for coach Acuff to return to Alabama, where he has spent most of his life, and to be close to family − particularly his two adult children who live in Birmingham, to his parents and to his in-laws − while being able to continue coaching at the Division I level. While we are disappointed that he is leaving, we understand the attraction of being close to one's family and we wish him continued success in this new opportunity.' Advertisement In addition to leading the Bisons to a return trip to the NCAA tournament Acuff guided the team to its fourth ASUN regular season championship and to its third consecutive 20-plus win season − marking only the second time in Division-I era program history this has been accomplished. Hutcheson said Lipscomb will begin an immediate national search for its next men's basketball head coach. In five seasons at Samford McMillan led the Bulldogs to a 99-52 record including back-to-back NCAA tournament berths in 2023 and 2024. Samford was 22-11 this past season and played in the National Invitation Tournament. Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lipscomb basketball's Lennie Acuff resigns to become Samford's coach
Washington Post
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Buffalo plays Troy in NIT
Troy Trojans (24-13, 14-6 Sun Belt) at Buffalo Bulls (29-7, 14-6 MAC) Buffalo, New York; Saturday, 5 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Buffalo and Troy meet in the National Invitation Tournament. The Bulls are 14-6 against MAC opponents and 15-1 in non-conference play. Buffalo is 4-2 in games decided by 3 points or fewer. The Trojans are 14-6 in Sun Belt play. Troy has a 3-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points. Buffalo's average of 4.4 made 3-pointers per game is 3.4 fewer made shots on average than the 7.8 per game Troy gives up. Troy averages 6.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 fewer makes per game than Buffalo gives up. The teams meet for the second time this season. Buffalo won 80-78 in the last matchup on Nov. 4. Chellia Watson led Buffalo with 28 points, and Briana Peguero led Troy with 15 points. TOP PERFORMERS: Kirsten Lewis-Williams is averaging 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals for the Bulls. Watson is averaging 21.1 points over the last 10 games. Shaulana Wagner is averaging 8.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists for the Trojans. Zay Dyer is averaging 16.9 points over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 7-3, averaging 69.8 points, 25.4 rebounds, 17.4 assists, 11.2 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.9 points per game. Trojans: 7-3, averaging 85.0 points, 44.7 rebounds, 15.7 assists, 8.3 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 43.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 78.7 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Associated Press
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Buffalo plays Troy in NIT
Troy Trojans (24-13, 14-6 Sun Belt) at Buffalo Bulls (29-7, 14-6 MAC) Buffalo, New York; Saturday, 5 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Buffalo and Troy meet in the National Invitation Tournament. The Bulls are 14-6 against MAC opponents and 15-1 in non-conference play. Buffalo is 4-2 in games decided by 3 points or fewer. The Trojans are 14-6 in Sun Belt play. Troy has a 3-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points. Buffalo's average of 4.4 made 3-pointers per game is 3.4 fewer made shots on average than the 7.8 per game Troy gives up. Troy averages 6.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 fewer makes per game than Buffalo gives up. The teams meet for the second time this season. Buffalo won 80-78 in the last matchup on Nov. 4. Chellia Watson led Buffalo with 28 points, and Briana Peguero led Troy with 15 points. TOP PERFORMERS: Kirsten Lewis-Williams is averaging 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals for the Bulls. Watson is averaging 21.1 points over the last 10 games. Shaulana Wagner is averaging 8.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists for the Trojans. Zay Dyer is averaging 16.9 points over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 7-3, averaging 69.8 points, 25.4 rebounds, 17.4 assists, 11.2 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.9 points per game. Trojans: 7-3, averaging 85.0 points, 44.7 rebounds, 15.7 assists, 8.3 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 43.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 78.7 points. ___
