Four teams that felt they were snubbed for the NCAA tournament have found their way to Madison Square Garden in New York City for the NIT semifinals on Tuesday night.
But like the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Big Dance, the Horizon League?s Valparaiso Crusaders (29-6) are the lone No. 1 seed to advance this far in the tournament, as they are consensus 1.5-point favorites against the second-seeded BYU Cougars (26-10) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.
The Crusaders will take on the winner of the other semifinal matchup between the second-seeded San Diego State Aztecs (28-9) and the fourth-seeded George Washington Colonials (26-10).
San Diego State is listed as a three-point betting favorite and, along with Valparaiso, did not get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament despite winning its conference?s regular-season title. The Aztecs were an impressive 16-2 in the Mountain West, while the Crusaders were also 16-2 in the Horizon.
Valpo was upset by the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix 99-92 in overtime as a 9.5-point favorite in the semifinals of the Horizon League tournament. Since then, the Crusaders have gone 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread, including a 60-44 rout of the Saint Mary?s Gaels?one of the other three No. 2 seeds in the field?last Tuesday.
The Cougars played with the Gaels in the West Coast Conference, finishing third behind them during the regular season, and lost to the Gonzaga Bulldogs 88-84 as four-point underdogs in the semifinals of that tournament.
San Diego State lost 68-63 to the Fresno State Bulldogs as four-point favorites in the championship game of the MWC tournament before reeling off three consecutive wins SU and ATS in the NIT. The Aztecs blew out the fourth-seeded Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 72-56 as five-point favorites in their quadrant to get here.
Meanwhile, George Washington finished fourth in the Atlantic 10 during the regular season but has had arguably the best run of any team in the NIT. The Colonials upset the top-seeded Monmouth Hawks as two-point dogs in the second round and then knocked out the second-seeded Florida Gators as 1.5-point chalk in the quarterfinals.
But like the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Big Dance, the Horizon League?s Valparaiso Crusaders (29-6) are the lone No. 1 seed to advance this far in the tournament, as they are consensus 1.5-point favorites against the second-seeded BYU Cougars (26-10) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.
The Crusaders will take on the winner of the other semifinal matchup between the second-seeded San Diego State Aztecs (28-9) and the fourth-seeded George Washington Colonials (26-10).
San Diego State is listed as a three-point betting favorite and, along with Valparaiso, did not get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament despite winning its conference?s regular-season title. The Aztecs were an impressive 16-2 in the Mountain West, while the Crusaders were also 16-2 in the Horizon.
Valpo was upset by the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix 99-92 in overtime as a 9.5-point favorite in the semifinals of the Horizon League tournament. Since then, the Crusaders have gone 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread, including a 60-44 rout of the Saint Mary?s Gaels?one of the other three No. 2 seeds in the field?last Tuesday.
The Cougars played with the Gaels in the West Coast Conference, finishing third behind them during the regular season, and lost to the Gonzaga Bulldogs 88-84 as four-point underdogs in the semifinals of that tournament.
San Diego State lost 68-63 to the Fresno State Bulldogs as four-point favorites in the championship game of the MWC tournament before reeling off three consecutive wins SU and ATS in the NIT. The Aztecs blew out the fourth-seeded Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 72-56 as five-point favorites in their quadrant to get here.
Meanwhile, George Washington finished fourth in the Atlantic 10 during the regular season but has had arguably the best run of any team in the NIT. The Colonials upset the top-seeded Monmouth Hawks as two-point dogs in the second round and then knocked out the second-seeded Florida Gators as 1.5-point chalk in the quarterfinals.
