Rising Utah Clashes With No. 1 Indiana State in NIT Semifinals

Indiana State: Josh Schertz, Jayson Kent & Robbie Avila - NIT Postgame (Cincinnati)

Indiana State: Josh Schertz, Jayson Kent & Robbie Avila - NIT Postgame (Cincinnati) | Image: BearcatJournal/YouTube

The bumpy run by Utah in the post-season seems like a distant past now.

The rejuvenated Utes now stand in the NIT Final Four in Indianapolis, poised to compete against Indiana State (and probably a substantial group of Sycamore supporters) in the first semifinal on Tuesday.

Utah (22-14) concluded the regular season with a tumultuous stretch of eight defeats in the final 12 games, followed by a loss to Colorado in the Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals. Nevertheless, as a No. 2 seed, the Utes secured an NIT invitation and have certainly maximized their opportunities.

Utah kicked off NIT proceedings with victories over UC Irvine and Iowa by identical margins of nine points before overpowering VCU by a whopping 20 points in the quarterfinals. Gabe Madsen drained six 3-pointers for a total of 18 points, while Branden Carlson contributed 17 points.

“That’s a great win for the Runnin’ Utes,” coach Craig Smith said. “I’m so happy, so proud of our team. Just the way we competed (Wednesday), it was just tremendous in so many facets.”

Deivon Smith continued his remarkable season for Utah, securing his fifth triple-double of the season to establish a new record for the most triple-doubles by a Pac-12 player in a single season.

“Honestly, before the four games, (the record) didn’t mean anything,” he said. “But (Wednesday), I really wanted to break it, especially at home. I really wanted it.”

Smith appears ready for another remarkable performance against the top-seeded Sycamores (31-6), who allowed 92 points to SMU in their NIT inaugural matchup. Subsequently, after a more solid defensive showcase in a victory over Minnesota, Indiana State conceded 81 points in a close four-point win against Cincinnati in the quarterfinals.

Robbie Avila showcased 22 points in that triumph, which included a crucial 3-pointer around the one-minute mark. Jayson Kent netted 16 points and seven rebounds while maintaining a perfect 5-of-5 from the field.

“Not a lot of teams have the opportunity to continue playing in March,” Kent said. “We were just driven even more because we want to continue to play with each other, continue to practice with each other, continue to hang around with each other.”

Indiana State, situated just under 100 miles from Hinkle Fieldhouse, has never crossed paths with Utah in the history of their schools. The victor will meet either Seton Hall or Georgia in the NIT championship clash on Thursday.

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    WCC to Add Grand Canyon and Seattle in 2025

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    The nine current members of the conference are private universities with a religious affiliation. Seattle is a Jesuit institution, while Grand Canyon, situated in Phoenix, is a Christian college.

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    As the 12th-seeded Antelopes defeated fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s before losing to Alabama in the tournament this season.

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    The future beyond 2026 looks uncertain, with Oregon State and Washington State appearing unlikely to continue with the WCC.

    The former Pac-12 schools are under a two-year contract, expiring on June 30, 2026. Sources from CBS Sports suggest that the odds of the two Pacific Northwest institutions staying are slim, with a move to the Mountain West or a new conference formation being more probable.

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    Kansas State adds athletic wing in left-handed shooter Max Jones

    Former guard of Cal State Fullerton Max Jones has made a decision to join Kansas State for his upcoming collegiate season, according to reports.

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    Stanford Names Basketball Court in Honor of Tara VanDerveer

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