Ellis, Memphis top Miss. St. for crown
Tigers win second NIT title after 2002 triumph
Memphis has its first title with Penny Hardaway as coach, and these young Tigers could be set up for more.
Boogie Ellis scored 23 points and Memphis never trailed after a fast start to beat Mississippi State 77-64 in the NIT championship game Sunday, wrapping up Hardaway’s third season coaching his alma mater after the Tigers just missed out on their first NCAA Tournament since 2013-14.
“We want to win championships, and the NIT is just a start,” Hardaway said.
With no seniors on the roster, the Tigers won 11 of their last 13 games. The only setbacks in that span were a pair of one-possession losses six days apart against NCAA Elite Eight
team Houston.
Landers Nolley II opened the second half with a jumper and a 3-pointer that put the Tigers (20-8) ahead to stay to stay while winning college basketball’s oldest tournament for the second time — they also were NIT champs in 2002. Nolley was one of three sophomore starters for the Tigers, who also had a freshman and junior among the starting five.
La. Tech 76, Colorado St. 74: Kenneth Lofton Jr. had 27 points, including a layup in the closing moments, Kalob Ledoux scored 11 of his 14 points in the final six-plus minutes and Louisiana Tech rallied from an 11-point deficit to beat Colorado State in the consolation game of the NIT. Lofton was 10-of-13 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds. Amorie Archibald added 14 points for Louisiana Tech (24-8). Dischon Thomas made a layup to cap a 9-0 spurt and give Colorado State (20-4) a 64-53 lead with 8:41 to play but the Bulldogs scored the next 14 points.
Women’s NIT
Rice 71, Ole Miss 58: Nancy Mulkey had 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks, Lauren Schwartz also scored 19 points and added five assists, and Rice beat Mississippi in the championship game of the WNIT. Rice (23-4), which won the 2017 WBI, won its first WNIT title. Mulkey made 9 of 11 from the field against the Rebels (15-12).