2012 NIT Championship Game, Minnesota Vs. Stanford Score: Gophers Check Out After Halftime, Lose 75-51 To Cardinal

The best part about Thursday night's 2012 NIT Championship Game was that it mercifully ended. The Minnesota Golden Gophers made a nice run in the tournament to make the final, but looked completely checked out against the Stanford Cardinal. The Gophers scored just 30 points over the final 29 minutes of the game and shot just 36.5 percent from the field as the Cardinal cruised to a 75-51 victory.

The Cardinal never looked back after going on a 14-4 run to take a six-point lead into halftime. They only pulled away from there, shooting 51.9 percent from the field for the game and going 6-for-12 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Stanford did have its sloppy moments, though. Both teams turned the ball over at astronomical rates, combining for 37 turnovers in 40 minutes of play. The difference in the game came down the fact that Stanford could make shots, and Minnesota simply couldn't.

Chasson Randle and Aaron Bright each scored 15 points to lead the way for the Cardinal. Jarrett Mann had a nice all-around game as well, adding nine points, four assists, four steals and a block. Rodney Williams led the Gophers with 12 points on 4-for-10 shooting from the field. Julian Welch and Andre Hollins struggled mightily, going a combined 3-for-16 from the floor and 1-for-6 from beyond the arc.

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream on SB Nation New York.

NIT 2012, Minnesota Vs. Stanford Halftime Score: Cardinal Lead Gophers, 31-25

The Minnesota Golden Gophers trail the Stanford Cardinal, 31-25, from halftime in the NIT Championship Game from Madison Square Garden.

Minnesota led for most of the first eleven minutes. Then the Gophers started missing shots and their 21-17 lead disappeared when Aaron Bright made a three-pointer with 5:28 left to play. Stanford closed the final seven minutes of the half on a 14-4 run. Minnesota was held without a field goal in the final 9:01 of the half and got their four points in that span at the free throw line.

Turnovers were a problem for both teams as Minnesota and Stanford combined for 19 turnovers. The teams combined for just 22 field goals in the first half.

Minnesota was led by Rodney Williams in the first half with 12 points. The Cardinal were paced by 8 points from Aaron Bright in the first half.

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream on SB Nation New York.

2012 NIT Championship, Minnesota Vs. Stanford: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

It isn't exactly a trip to New Orleans to play on the biggest stage of college hoops, but Minnesota and Stanford remain amongst the final six teams in action this season, and they'll square off at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night in the NIT Championship Game.

Stanford, who finished 21-11 overall and 10-8 in Pac-12 play, earned a three seed in the NIT, while Minnesota (19-14, 6-12), who endured a struggled throughout the second half of the season, has impressively marched to the finals as a six seed.

The Golden Gophers suffered an early season blow in losing top senior Trevor Mbakwe, and junior forward Rodney Williams has emerged as the team's go-to option, averaging 11.2 points per game. Stanford is led by a trio of double-digit scorers, including Chasson Randle, who averaged nearly 14 points a contest this season.

Game Time: 7:00 p.m. EST

TV Coverage: ESPN, ESPN3

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream on SB Nation New York.

NIT 2012, Washington Vs. Minnesota Final Score: Gophers Take Out Huskies In Overtime, 68-67

The 6-seed Minnesota Golden Gophers advanced to the finals of the 2012 NIT Tournament with a 68-67 win over the 1-seed Washington Huskies in overtime Tuesday night. The Gophers led by as many as 15 points late in the first half, but the Huskies was able to chip away at that lead to force overtime. Neither team led by more than three points in OT.

The Huskies played well defensively, forcing 18 turnovers. They attempted 12 more field goals for the game, but shot just 36.6 percent from the field. The Gophers made 44.1 percent of theirs shots, led by Andre Hollins' 20 points on 6-for-14 shooting. Rodney Williams was the team's leading scorer in the first half, and finished the night with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Washington's Terrence Ross led all scorers with 21 points on 7-for-19 shooting. Tony Wroten struggled mightily, however, scoring just nine points on 4-for-16 from the field. With the win, the Gophers will tip-off against the Stanford Cardinal in the NIT Championship Game on Thursday.

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream on SB Nation New York.

NIT 2012, Washington Vs. Minnesota Halftime Score: Gophers Lead 38-26

The Minnesota Golden Gophers went on a 10-0 run midway through the first half, giving themselves a 38-26 lead at halftime over the No. 1 seed Washington Huskies on Tuesday. With a win, the Gophers would score a big upset to advance to the finals at the 2012 NIT Tournament.

Rodney Williams has led the way so far in scoring 12 points. Williams also has four rebounds, adding to what has been an impressive collective effort on the boards. For the game, Minnesota is winning the rebounding battle 21-13 over the smaller Huskies.

Washington shot just 32.3 percent from the field for the half. Terrence Ross leads the way with 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field. Tony Wroten, his teammate in the backcourt, is just 2-for-9 for four points. The Huskies will need to figure out how to score against a physical Big Ten-bred team if they hope to advance.

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream on SB Nation New York.

NIT 2012, UMass Vs. Stanford Final Score: Cardinal Advance To Final With 74-64 Win

The Stanford Cardinal will advance to the 2012 NIT Tournament Final after a 74-64 win over the UMass Minutemen on Tuesday night. The Minutemen had been one of the stories of the tournament so far, coming in a as a No. 5 seed to knock off the likes of Drexel and Seton Hall to advance the semifinals. Tuesday, they briefly took a 50-49 lead with 8:05 to play before Stanford pulled away.

The Cardinal went on an 18-6 run over the next six-plus minutes to ultimately make the score more lopsided than the game actually was. They won the rebounding battle 46-34 to make up for 17 turnovers. Neither team shot the ball particularly well, though Stanford was slightly sharper in making 36.9 percent of their attempts from the field compared to 33.8 percent for UMass.

Stanford had four players reach double-digit points, led by 18 for Anthony Brown. Josh Owens dominated around the rim, grabbing 11 rebounds to go with 15 points. Chaz Williams scored 19 to lead the Minutemen.

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream on SB Nation New York.

NIT 2012, UMass Vs. Stanford, Halftime Score: Minutemen Trail, 36-33

The UMass Minutemen trail the Stanford Cardinal, 36-33, in the Semifinals of the 2012 NIT at Madison Square Garden.

UMass and Stanford traded blows early before the Cardinal were able to build a lead. Turnovers and missed shots from the Minutemen allowed the Stanford lead to grow to 28-16 with 9:56 left to play. UMass' defense allowed them to settle down and claw back into the game as the half wound down. UMass had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer after a steal, but Javorn Farrell's three-point attempt hit back iron.

A potential turning point in the game came late in the half when UMass point guard Chaz Williams picked up his third foul.

UMass was led by 8 points from Raphiael Putney. Williams chipped in 7 points for the Minutemen. The Cardinal was led by 11 points from Josh Owens.

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream and SB Nation New York for all your needs.

NIT Tournament 2012, Washington Vs. Minnesota: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

Shortly after the No. 5-seeded UMass Minutement and No. 3 Stanford Cardinals play its NIT semifinal contests, which will feature one of them advancing to Thursday's finals, the No. 1 Washington Huskies and No. 6 Minnesota Golden Gophers will march onto the hardwood at Madison Square Garden.

In its history, Washington is 1-4 at MSG, with the only victory coming way back in 1941. Meanwhile, the Golden Gophers are making their fifth trip to the NIT Final Four, where they are 3-1 and earned the tournament's crown in 1998 and '93.

Overall, these two program have met 15 times with Washington going 9-6.

Location: New York, NY, Madison Square Garden

Game Time: Approximately 9 p.m. ET

TV Schedule: ESPN2/ESPN3

Announcers: Mike Patrick (play-by-play), Fran Fraschilla (color commentary) & Bill Raftery (color)

Radio Stream: UW 102.9 FM

Betting Odds: Washington 1-point favorites.

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream and SB Nation New York for all your needs.

NIT Tournament 2012, UMass Vs. Stanford: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The No. 5-seeded UMass Minutemen and No. 3 Stanford Cardinal face off Tuesday in a NIT semifinal contest in Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET on ESPN2). The winner of the contest advance to player either No. 1 Washington Huskies or No. 6 Minnesota Golden Gophers in the NIT final on Thursday.

The Minutemen are making their first appearance in the NIT Final Four since 2008, when they made the Championship Game. This will be the programs third NIT Final Four, as in '91 UMass played Stanford in the semifinals and lost 73-71.

Location: New York, NY, Madison Square Garden

Game Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV Schedule: ESPN2/ESPN3

Announcers: Mike Patrick (play-by-play), Fran Fraschilla (color commentary) & Bill Raftery (color)

Radio Stream: KIX 100.9 FM

Betting Odds: Stanford is 2 1/2-point favorites.

-- For more on the NIT, be sure to check out our NCAA basketball hub. A full bracket is also right here. For more on the NIT, please check out SB Nation New York for all your needs.

NIT Tournament 2012 Schedule And Bracket: Final Four Tips Off At MSG Tuesday

New York City's home for college hoops, Madison Square Garden, is the host for men's college basketball's NIT Final Four on Tuesday. No. 5-seeded UMass Minutemen and No. 3 Stanford Cardinal with tip off the action starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2, while the night cap will feature No. 1 Washington Huskies and No. 6 Minnesota Golden Gophers at approximately 9 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.

The winners advance to the NIT Final, which will be played on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Here's Tuesday bracket, schedule update and game times:

No. 5 UMAss vs. No. 3 Stanford, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2

No. 1 Washington vs. No. 6 Minnesota, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2

For more on the NIT, be sure to check out our NCAA basketball hub. A full bracket is also right here. For more on the NIT, please check out SB Nation New York for all your needs.

NIT Tournament 2012 Bracket: Semifinal Matchups All Set

The semifinal round matchups are all set in the 2012 National Invitation Tournament. Stanford and Minnesota both won on Wednesday night to advance.

UMass will face Stanford in their semifinal game scheduled for Tuesday, March 27. Minnesota will face Washington on the same day. The winners of those two games will face off in the NIT championship game on Thursday, March 29.

Stanford had no problems getting past the Nevada Wolf Pack, beating them by a final score of 84-56. Minnesota and Mid Tennessee played a much closer game. The Golden Gophers hit 11 of their last 12 free throws in a 78-72 win.

UMass beat Drexel on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals. Washington beat Oregon on Tuesday to advance.

-- For more on the NIT, be sure to check out our NCAA basketball hub. A full bracket is also right here. For more on the NIT, please check out SB Nation New York for all your needs.

NIT Tournament 2012 Schedule And Bracket Update

After seeing the Washington Huskies and UMass Minutemen move on Tuesday to reach the semifinals, two spots remain with four teams desperate to grab those coveted slots.

The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders are one of the candidates. After dispatching the No. 1-seeded Tennessee Volunteers, the Blue Raiders now host the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Another win would secure a trip to New York City for a date with Washington.

The Golden Gophers are coming off a 78-60 pounding of the Miami Hurricanes on the road, so their confidence is peaking at the right time.

On the other side of the bracket is the Stanford Cardinal, who will play host to the Nevada Wolf Pack.

Stanford needs to play better than it did in the second round after squeaking by Illinois State 92-88 in overtime.

The Nevada Wolf Pack beat Bucknell 75-67 in their previous match in their comfortable confines and will now go on the road in search of a victory. The winner of this game will face UMass in the next round.

No. 6 Minnesota Golden Gophers at No. 4 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders - 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN3

No. 5 Nevada Wolf Pack at No. 3 Stanford Cardinal - 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN3

-- For more on the NIT, be sure to check out our NCAA basketball hub. A full bracket is also right here. For more on the NIT, please check out SB Nation New York for all your needs.

NIT Tournament 2012 Bracket Update: Elite 8 Field Set; Final Four Decided Wednesday

The NIT's Elite 8 field was finalized Monday, as the Stanford Cardinals edged the Illinois St. Redbirds in overtime, 92-88. Two other games were also played Monday with Middle Tennessee St. defeating Tennessee, 71-64, and Minnesota downing Miami, 78-60. The results set up the road to the Final Four, which will be played at Madison Square Garden, March 29-27.

On Tuesday, two quarterfinal contests will be played as the UMass Minutemen and Drexel Dragons will face off in Philadelphia, Pa., while the Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks play at 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, the other two quarterfinal games will be played Wednesday night. Here's a look at the remaining bracket and TV schedule:

Region 1
(1) Northwestern Wildcats 55, (1) Washington Huskies 76
(7) Iowa Hawkeyes 97, (3) Oregon Ducks 106

Final: Washington vs. Oregon, Tuesday at 9 p.m. on ESPN

Region 2
(4) Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 71, (1) Tennessee Volunteers 64
(6) Minnesota Golden Gophers 78, (2) Miami Hurricanes 60

Final: Middle Tennessee vs. Minnesota, Wednesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2

Region 3
(4) UMass Minutemen 77, (1) Seton Hall Pirates 67
(7) Northern Iowa Panthers 63, (3) Drexel Dragons 65

Final: UMass vs. Drexel, Tuesday, 7 p.m. on ESPN

Region 4
(8) Bucknell Bison 67, (5) Nevada Wolfpack 75
(7) Illinois State Redbirds 88, (3) Stanford Cardinal 92 (OT)

Final: Nevada vs. Sanford, Wednesday, 9 p.m. on ESPN2

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream and SB Nation New York for all your needs.

2012 NIT Tournament Schedule And Bracket

After the Nevada Wolf Pack moved on by dispatching the eighth-seeded Bucknell Bison, the warriors out west now wait for the winner of the Stanford Cardinal and Illinois State Redbirds affair.

The third-seed Cardinal did its job, getting by Cleveland State in the opener. Stanford will try to put an end to Illinois State also with a victory in its home gym.

The Redbirds are trying to play themselves into the Elite Eight with a win on Monday Night after shocking Ole Miss 96-93 in overtime on the road.

The game can be seen on ESPN2 at 11:30 p.m. ET.

For a full view of the NIT Bracket, click here.

In Region 2, the relatively mighty Tennessee Volunteers are seeing a formidable foe and interstate rival come to Knoxville in the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders.

Middle Tennessee St. is no powder puff, with a 26-6 overall record. The Blue Raiders are feeling good coming off a 86-78 defeat of Marshall. The Vols are top-seeded in the region, but didn't look phenomenal in beating Savannah State 65-51 at home on Tuesday.

The game can be seen on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET.

In the other half of that bracket, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have traveled to square off against the Miami Hurricanes.

Minnesota is playing very well so far, showcased by its upset over La Salle 70-61 away from home on Wednesday. The Hurricanes blew by Valparaiso at home in their inaugural game, 66-50, and looked excellent in the process.

The game can be seen on ESPN at 9:00 p.m. ET.

For more on the NIT Tournament, be sure to check out our NIT stream and SB Nation New York for all your needs.

2012 NIT Tournament Bracket: Quarterfinals Take Shape Following Exciting Sunday

The 2012 NIT Tournament continues on despite Seton Hall's unfortunate early departure. The quarterfinals are almost all set following Sunday's second-round action, with three more games to be played Monday. There was plenty of excitement to be had, starting with an absolute barn-burner between the Oregon Ducks and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The Ducks put on a show in Eugene, hanging on for a 108-97 win. Five players scored in double digits for Oregon, including a 25-point performance by E.J. Singler and 22 points from Olu Ashaolu. Roy Devyn Marble led all scorers with 31 points, but the Hawkeyes ultimately came up just short.

The Nevada Wolfpack dominated the Bucknell Bison on Sunday, 75-67, but the Drexel Dragons had a little more trouble. Northern Iowa trailed by as many as 18 points, but clawed their way back to come within a shot of advancing to the quarterfinals. Johnny Moran's potential game-winning 3-pointer clanged off the back of the rim, however, sending Drexel to the next round.

If you haven't been able to keep up with the action of this year's tournament, here's an updated printable 2012 NIT Tournament bracket.

For more on the Pirates, check out South Orange Juice. For more coverage of Long Island in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, visit SB Nation New York's StoryStream. Click here for a link to our NCAA bracket 2012.

NIT Tournament 2012 Bracket: Seton Hall Loses, Season Over

The Seton Hall Pirates were eliminated from the 2012 NIT Tournament on Saturday, after suffering a double digit loss to the Massachusetts Minutemen. The Minutemen, who are the fifth seed in their region, upset the Pirates, who entered the tournament as the region's first seed.

UMass now awaits the winner of Sunday's second round match-up between the Drexel Dragons and the Northern Iowa Panthers. Against Drexel, who is a three seed, UMass would be the underdog. Against Nortern Iowa, who is the region's seven seed, UMass would act as favorites.

Having knocked off higher seeds in both of their match ups, the Minutemen are only three wins away from winning the 2012 NIT Tournament.

For more on the Pirates, check out South Orange Juice. For more coverage of Long Island in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, visit SB Nation New York's StoryStream. Click here for a link to our NCAA bracket 2012.

Seton Hall Vs. UMass Score Final Score: Pirates Lose, 77-67

The Seton Hall Pirates fell the the Massachusetts Minutemen on Saturday and have officially been eliminated from the 2012 NIT Tournament.

Saturday's contest came in the second round of the NIT, in which Seton Hall was a one seed and UMass was a five seed. The Pirates narrowly defeated Stony Brook in the first round, while UMass edged Mississippi State. Massachusetts will now face the winner of Drexel-Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals.

The Pirates enjoyed solid performances from Herb Pope (9 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks), Fuquan Edwin (21 points and 7 rebounds) and Jordan Theodore (14 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds), but it wasn't enough to knock off the Minutemen.

Chaz Williams had 20 points, 7 boards and 6 assists for UMass.

For more on the Pirates, check out South Orange Juice. For more coverage of Long Island in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, visit SB Nation New York's StoryStream. Click here for a link to our NCAA bracket 2012.

NIT Tournament 2012, Seton Hall Vs. UMass Score Update: Pirates Trail 36-30 At Half

The Seton Hall Pirates fell behind 36-30 at halftime of a fast-paced bout with the Massachusetts Minutemen at Walsh Gymnasium Saturday morning during the second round of the 2012 National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

Seton Hall, the top seed, struggled to contain UMass' dribble penetration during the first 20 minutes. Minutemen guard Chaz Williams especially broke down Seton Hall's defense, finishing the half with six points, six rebounds and three assists.

Fuquan Edwin paced Seton Hall with 10 points and Jordan Theodore added seven. Herb Pope struggled inside, shooting just one for six en route to scoring two points. The big man did chip in six rebounds.

The victor moves on to the quarterfinals to play the winner of Sunday's Drexel-Northern Iowa matchup.

For more NIT coverage, be sure to check out our constantly updated tourney stream and SB Nation New York for all your needs. Get complete college basketball coverage at SB Nation's NCAA hoops hub.

NIT 2012, Seton Hall Vs. UMass: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Seton Hall Pirates continue the National Invitational Tournament on Saturday morning against the Massachusetts Minutemen.

Seton Hall advanced to the second round of the 2012 NIT by surviving Stony Brook Tuesday night, 63-61. The Pirates built an early 10-point lead but could have lost if Stony Brook sharpshooter Bryan Dougher's last-second three-pointer, which bounded off the rim with two seconds left, had fallen.

UMass escaped Mississippi St. with a thrilling 101-96 overtime victory behind 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists from Chaz Williams.

Location: Walsh Gymnasium, South Orange, NJ

Game Time: 11 a.m. ET, Saturday, March 17

TV: ESPN

For more NIT coverage, be sure to check out our constantly updated tourney stream and SB Nation New York for all your needs. Get complete college basketball coverage at SB Nation's NCAA hoops hub.

NIT Tournament Round Two Schedule, Bracket, TV Schedule, Game Times

The NIT Tournament's road to Madison Square Garden, the site of the event's Final Four, continues Friday, as one of the remaining eight games will be played on Friday. That contest will be between the No. 1-seeded Washington Huskies against the (4) Northwestern Wildcats at 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

On Saturday, the local college hoops program, the (1) Seton Hall Pirates, hosts the (4) UMass Minutemen at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN. The Sweet 16 game will be played at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, NJ, with the winner advancing to face either (3) Drexel Dragons and (7) Northern Iowa Panthers, who each play Sunday at 11 p.m. on ESPN.

Here's a complete look at the brackets and TV schedule for the NIT Tournament (Region 1 plays Region 2 in the semifinals, while Region 3 plays Region 4):

Region 1
(1) Northwestern Wildcats at (1) Washington Huskies, Friday, 10 p.m., ESPNU
(7) Iowa Hawkeyes at No. 3 Oregon Ducks, Sunday, 5 p.m. on ESPNU

Region 2
(4) Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at (1) Tennessee Volunteers, Monday, 7 p.m. on ESPN
(6) Minnesota Golden Gophers at (2) Miami Hurricanes, Monday, 9 p.m. on ESPN

Region 3
(4) UMass Minutemen at (1) Seton Hall Pirates, Saturday, 11 a.m. on ESPN
(7) Northern Iowa Panthers at (3) Drexel Dragons, Sunday, 11 a.m. on ESPN

Region 4
(8) Bucknell Bison at (5) Nevada Wolfpack, Sunday 3 p.m. on ESPNU
(7) Illinois State Redbirds at (3) Stanford Cardinal, Monday, 11:30 p.m. on ESPN2

A complete 2012 NIT bracket is available here.

For more NIT coverage, be sure to check out our constantly updated tourney stream and SB Nation Philly for all your needs. Get complete college basketball coverage at SB Nation's NCAA hoops hub.

NIT Tournament 2012 Schedule And Bracket: Washington And Northwestern Meet In Round 2

The Northwestern Wildcats will play the Washington Huskies on Friday, in the only scheduled 2012 NIT Tournament game. The winner will advance to the NIT's version of the elite 8.

Northwestern is the fourth seed in the region, while Washington is the first. The Wildcats scraped by Akron in the first round; the Huskies defeated UT-Arlington by double digits. Washington is a 5.5 point favorite in Vegas.

The winner of the Friday's match-up will advance and face the winner of the other Region's quarterfinal – Oregon vs. Iowa – to determine the winner of Region one. Washington is 22-10 on the season and went 14-4 in the Pac-12.

Friday's will be televised on both ESPNU and ESPN3.

A complete 2012 NIT bracket is available here.

For more NIT coverage, be sure to check out our constantly updated tourney stream and SB Nation Philly for all your needs. Get complete college basketball coverage at SB Nation's NCAA hoops hub.

NIT Bracket 2012: Seton Hall Will Face UMass In The Second Round

The Seton Hall Pirates willhost the Massachusetts Minutemen in the second round of the 2012 NIT. That game will be held Saturday, March 17 at 11 a.m. ET at the Prudential Center in East Rutherford. Seton Hall is a top seed in Region Three of the tournament, and UMass is a fifth seed. Both teams are coming off narrow wins in the opening round of play.

Seton Hall held off Stony Brook on Tuesday. The Pirates lost the battle of the boards to the Seawolves by a 42-22 margin. Despite problems getting rebounds, the Pirates were able to squeeze out a 63-61 victory thanks in large part to hitting 48.9 percent of their field goals.

UMass needed overtime to beat fourth-seeded Mississippi State on Wednesday night by a final score of 101-96. The Minutemen won by controlling the boards with a 51-38 edge in rebounds. Their acumen on the boards sets up an interesting matchup for the Pirates.

Keep checking back to this StoryStream for details and a preview.

A complete 2012 NIT bracket is available here.

For more on the NIT Tournament, check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream. Meanwhile, the SB Nation blog South Orange Juice is all about the Pirates.

NIT 2012, Seton Hall Vs. Stony Brook Final Score: Pirates Hold On For 63-61 Win

The Seton Hall Pirates escaped with a 63-61 win over the Stony Brook Seawolves during Tuesday night's opening game of the 2012 NIT Tournament. They were tabbed among the favorites in this year's NIT after going 21-12 this season and playing Louisville relatively tight in the Big East Tournament. They were dominated on the boards by the Seawolves on the boards, however, and needed to shoot exceptionally well to advance to the second round.

For the night, Stony Brook held a 42-22 rebounding advantage, recouping nearly 50 percent of their missed shots on the offensive end. Second chance points nearly made up for their 37.7 percent shooting night, including a 4-for-13 performance from leading scorer Bryan Dougher.

The Pirates shot 48.9 percent from the field, and 6-for-15 from beyond the 3-point arc to stay just ahead of the Seawolves. Seton Hall led most of the second half, but never by more than six points. Stony Brook went on a 6-2 run over the final 2:30 to draw the game close. Dougher missed a 3-pointer to win with six seconds left, however, and Tommy Benton missed the tip-in to seal the game for the Pirates.

Benton finished with a game-high 13 rebounds. Herb Pope led the Pirates with nine rebounds to go along with his 20 points. No other Seton Hall player had more than three boards, however. Jordan Theodore led all scorers with 21 points on 8-for-17 shooting, adding six assists on the night.

For more on the NIT Tournament, check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream. Meanwhile, the SB Nation blog South Orange Juice is all about the Pirates.

NIT 2012, Seton Hall Vs. Stony Brook: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball program will begin their march to the National Invitational Tournament's Final Four at Madison Square Garden Tuesday, as they host the Stony Brook Seawolves in a first-round contest at Walsh Gym (7:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3).

The Pirates are the top seed in their bracket, while the Seawolves are the No. 8 seed. The winner of Tuesday's matchup advance to the second round to player either the No. 5 UMass Minutemen or No. 4 Mississippi St. Bulldogs at a date and time not yet determined.

Here's the contest's game time, TV schedule, radio stream and betting odds (For a complete NIT bracket, click here.):

Game time: 7:15 p.m. ET

Location: Walsh Gym, South Orange, NJ

Television: ESPN3 -- Mike Gleason (play-by-play) & Tim O'Toole (color commentator)

Radio stream: 89.5 FM WSOU

Betting odds: Seton Hall is a 11-point favorite.

For more on the NIT Tournament, check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream. Meanwhile, the SB Nation blog South Orange Juice is all about the Pirates.

NIT Tournament 2012 Schedule And Bracket: Tuesday's Game Times And TV Information

The 2012 NIT Tournament begins Tuesday, as the Seton Hall Pirates will face the Stony Brook Seawolves at Walsh Gymnasium at 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3. The Pirates, who were left out of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, will begin their journey to try and reach Madison Square Garden, the site of the NIT's Final Four, March 27-29, and end one of their most successful seasons in recent history on a positive note.

Meanwhile, the Seawolves were denied a invite to the NCAAs field of 68 after losing to Vermont in the America East Conference's Championship Game on Saturday. If Stony Brook were to pull off the upset, they will play the winner of No. 4 Mississippi St. Bulldogs and No. 5 UMass Minutemen in the Sweet 16.

Here's a look at Tuesday's game times and TV schedule. (For a complete NIT bracket, click here.):

(No. 1-seed) Washington Huskies vs. (8) Texas-Arlington Mavericks

• 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU
  

(4) Northwestern Wildcats vs. (5) Akron Zips

• 9 p.m. on ESPN2
  

(3) Oregon Ducks vs. (6) LSU Tigers

• 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
  

(2) Dayton Flyers vs. (7) Iowa Hawkeyes

• 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
  

(1) Tennessee Volunteers vs. (8) Savannah St. Tigers

• 8 p.m. on ESPNU
  

(4) Middle Tenn. St. Blue Raiders vs. (5) Marshall Thundering Herd

• 9:15 p.m. on ESPN3

(1) Seton Hall Pirates vs. (8) Stony Brook Seawolves

• 7:15 p.m. on ESPN3

(4) Mississippi St. Bulldogs vs. (5) UMass Minutemen

• 7 p.m. on ESPN2

(3) Stanford Cardinal vs. (6) Cleveland St. Vikings

• 11 p.m. on ESPN2
  

For more on the NIT Tournament, check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream. Meanwhile, the SB Nation blog South Orange Juice is all about the Pirates.

NIT Tournament 2012: Bracket Finalized As Seton Hall Earns No. 1 Seed

Just a few hours after the Seton Hall Pirates were left out of the NCAA Tournament's 68-team field, the Pirates earned a No. 1 seed in the NIT Tournament, which released its bracket and schedule Sunday night. Seton Hall will host No. 8 Stony Brook Seawolves at Walsh Gymnasium on Tuesday (7:15 p.m.). With a victory they would advance to the second round to play either No. 4 Mississippi St. Bulldogs or No. 5 UMass Minutemen.

Other teams in Seton Hall's bracket are the No. 3 Drexel Dragons, No. 6 Central Florida Knights, No. 2 Saint Joseph's Hawks and No. 7 Northern Iowa Panthers.

The three other No. 1 seeds in the NIT Tournament are: Washington Huskies, Arizona Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers. The five-round, single-elimination event will hold its Final Four at Madison Square Garden in New York, March 27-29.

For a complete look at the bracket, click here.

For more on the NIT Tournament, check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream. Meanwhile, the SB Nation blog South Orange Juice is all about the Pirates.

NCAA Tournament 2012 Bracket Update: Seton Hall Left Out Of Field Of 68, Waits On NIT Bid

The Seton Hall Pirates failed to have their name called Sunday during CBS' Selection Show, and will not be one of the 68 teams in the 2012 NCAA Tournament field. The Pirates finished their season 21-13 and failed to advance past the quarterfinal round of the Big East Conference Tournament last week.

Surprisingly for those who thought Seton Hall was right on the cusp of making the cut-line the Pirates weren't even one of the final four teams out. Those were Oral Roberts Golden Eagles, Nevada Wolf Pack, Miami Hurricanes and Drexel Dragons.

"Seton Hall had a very solid year," said Jeff Hathaway, this year's tournament chairman. "They had a tough stretch at the end of the year. They went 5-10 towards the end of the season. At the end of the day, quality team, a team we have a lot of respect for but we lose some quality teams we're not going to be able to be a part of the other 37 (at-large bids)."

The Pirates will now await for the announcement of the 2012 NIT field, which will feature 32 schools that didn't make the NCAA Tournament.

For more on the Pirates, check out South Orange Juice. For more coverage of Long Island in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, visit SB Nation New York's StoryStream. Click here for a link to our NCAA bracket 2012.