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Home / Sports News / Wichita State, the 7th seed, surprises No. 1 seed Indiana University Tuesday night to gain the National Invitational Tournament Final Four at Madison Square Garden for the first time and will play Texas Christian

Wichita State, the 7th seed, surprises No. 1 seed Indiana University Tuesday night to gain the National Invitational Tournament Final Four at Madison Square Garden for the first time and will play Texas Christian

By Arnie Leshin 
Arnie Leshin

As long as Madison Square Garden plays host to the ancient National nInvitational Tournament (NIT) Final Four, each entry hears the same thing from their coaches.

“Guys,” they say, “we can get to play at the Garden, and if some of you have never been to New York City, we are going to play so we can get there for the semifinals. Now, that’s not bad guys.”

When the 7-foot-4 Ralph Sampson was a sophomore at University of Virginia, he was already known nationwide. He was a load to defend, especially when he brought the ball inside and stuffed it in your face. He had those long lanky arms and huge hands.

But back than they only invited 36 schools to the more heralded NCAA Tournament that once allowed teams to enter both tournaments, as in when in 1951, City College of New York (CCNY) defeated Bradley University in the finals of both.

Not long after, the collegiate cage scandal broke in New York City, not yet known as the “Big Apple”, it was now known as the big fix. Fixing games, gambling on games, was a criminal offense for players and fans. Effected along with powerhouse, star-studded  CCNY, were Long Island University (LIU), New York University (NYU), St. John’s, and Manhattan College.

Arrests were made and all these schools had their wins removed. CCNY had only lost once, NYU four times, LIU five times, St. John’s and Manhattan twice each. And the NIT that originated as the initial such tournament back in 1934, was on the ropes, looked down on, given negative play in the New York newspapers, and Bradley was given both titles that it lost to CCNY.

So to flash ahead, the Cavaliers were now getting an invite to the NIT, and there was Sampson in 1971 enjoying the food festival media invitational for players, coaches and the press at the Sheraton Hotel across the busy 7th Avenue street.

His head coach, Terry Holland, was asked whether it was a disappointment to play in this tournament rather than the growing NCAA one?

Holland responded with a big smile and answered, “Not at all, I haven’t heard one complaint from my players, coaches and fans who couldn’t wait to get here. This is New York City, across the street is the Mecca of Arenas, Madison Square Garden, and I’m not disappointed at all.”

Simpson was eating and listening, but he shook his big head, clapped his huge hands, and applaudedhis coach’s words. He, too, was not disappointed.

So that’s what the MSG brings to the NIT, get past the quarterfinals and you can make a date to take in the March Madness that plays at the Garden.

Tuesday night, Wichita State, the 7th seeded team, made it there for the first time, as the 7th seeded Shockers surprised No. 1 seed Indiana and the well-traveled Hoosier fans, 73-63 and another top seed Texas Christian University then turned back 5th seed Creighton, 71-58, in the other quarters.

It was the eighth straight win for Wichita State.

Can’t forget the newer tourneys on the block — the CollegiateInsider.com and the College Basketball Invitation. No MSG awaits them, for it’s the higher seeds playing host to the lower seed, and that’s the way it works right up to the championship game.

Still around in the CollegiateInsider.com areCharleston Southern, Presbyterian, Texas Southern, and Florida International University (FIU), and that’s the semis four.

In the College Basketball Invitational, still in the hunt are Coastal Carolina,   Loyola Marymount, DePaul, South Florida, and that’s the other semi four. And tonight Loyola is at South Florida and Coastal Carolina is at DePaul to set up the title game.

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