FanPost

NIT History: The Consolation



Louisiana Tech defeated Colorado State in a thriller for third place in the 2021 NIT. It was a consolation game billed as a ‘third place game’ in this year’s event. And it returned for the first time since 2003.

Eighteen years ago Texas Tech dropped a semifinal meeting against St. John’s. In the other semi Georgetown eliminated Minnesota. In the consolation Tech bounced back from the one point heartbreaker against St. John’s to defeat Minnesota 71-61. The Red Raiders were coached by Bobby Knight. A long time proponent with utmost respect for the NIT, Knight was none too thrilled about being in a consolation game. He felt it unnecessary and told Jack Powers, the Tournament’s executive director, in no uncertain terms. Powers, a former coach at Manhattan, looked at it from a coaching perspective and felt Knight had a valid point. Beginning in 2004 there would be no consolation, or third place game.

The NIT actually had a two year hiatus without a consolation. That was ‘82 and ‘83. The toughest part about that was in ‘82 we were afforded only one look at Dominique Wilkins. The Georgia standout played well despite a bad ankle. It wasn’t enough as his Bulldogs were nipped 61-60 by Purdue in the semifinals.

The consolation ensured teams would get two games in New York, on the Madison Square Garden stage. A reward for advancing and getting to the Big Apple. Pro scouts liked to take in the action. A third place game gave you an added look on a player. Was said prospect really giving an effort or just going through the motions and riding out the string in front of a sparsely attended Garden.

This season, given the pauses and myriad challenges due to Covid, the committee's thinking was teams getting knocked out in the semifinals were deserving of one more game. The consolation, or third place game, was reinstated. And rightfully so.

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