One of the most intriguing early NIT matchups could be when the Gophers men’s basketball team plays at 1 p.m. Sunday at Indiana State, the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed.
Gophers men’s basketball set to face Indiana State in NIT second round
To extend their season, the Gophers will need to overcome Indiana State, the No. 1 overall seed in the NIT.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
March 22, 2024 at 1:39AM
The Gophers (19-14) advanced past the first round with a 73-72 win Tuesday at Butler. The Sycamores (29-6) defeated SMU 101-92 at home on Wednesday night.
The Big Ten’s ninth-place team will battle the Missouri Valley’s regular season champion at 1 p.m. CT Sunday on ESPN2 at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Ind. The winner plays in the quarterfinals against the winner of Bradley and Cincinnati.
In Tuesday’s comeback win vs. Butler, the Gophers were led by Dawson Garcia’s 25 points. Elijah Hawkins also set a program postseason record with 15 assists, to go with 11 points and six rebounds. Hawkins’ two free throws with five seconds remaining sealed the win.
On Wednesday, Indiana State forward Jayson Kent had a career-high 35 points in the win against SMU. Ryan Conwell also had 25 points for the Sycamores, who scored 61 points in the second half.
Three of the last four meetings have gone in the Gophers’ favor against Indiana State, including 76-69 in the Old Spice Classic during the 2011-12 season.
The Gophers scored three goals in the first period and went on to win their ninth game in a row.
