Indiana State Advances Past Cincinnati to NIT Semifinals

No. 1 Indiana State Sycamores survive the upset attempt by the Cincinnati Bearcats, 85-81, in the NIT Quarterfinal

No. 1 Indiana State Sycamores survive the upset attempt by the Cincinnati Bearcats, 85-81, in the NIT Quarterfinal | Image: ESPN/YouTube

Robbie Avila’s deep 3-pointer with less than a minute left broke the tie, securing a 22-point finish and leading the top-seeded Indiana State Sycamores to an 85-81 victory over the No. 2 Cincinnati Bearcats in the NIT quarterfinals on Tuesday night.

Indiana State (31-6), overlooked by the NCAA Tournament selection panel, will soon travel a short distance to stay in Indiana for the NIT semifinals on April 2 against the victor of the VCU and Utah matchup on Wednesday night.

Cincinnati (22-15), with Simas Lukosius scoring a game-high 26 points, faced the end of their season in the NIT quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.

As the clock winded down, Lukosius managed to bring Cincinnati within two points with a banked 3-pointer. Isaiah Swope‘s free throw increased the lead to three, and despite Lukosius’ successful first free throw, Xavier Bledson secured the win with two free throws off the intentional miss.

With Day Day Thomas sidelined from a foot injury, Jizzle James was tasked with nearly playing the entire game as Cincinnati’s starting point guard.

Son of former NFL standout Edgerrin James, James delivered a solid performance in his second career start, finishing with 21 points.

The game was marked by momentum swings, with Cincinnati capitalizing on Indiana State’s turnovers in the first half while the Sycamores turned the tables in the second half.

Indiana State responded to Cincinnati’s leads with a flurry of 3-pointers in the second half, leading to a 32-15 run that included a controversial call.

A traditional three-point play by Julian Larry gave Indiana State a 69-65 advantage, followed by a pivotal 3-pointer from Xavier Bledson that extended the lead to 72-65. Cincinnati’s coach received a technical foul amid the escalating tensions.

Ryan Conwell‘s successful free throws helped Indiana State secure a 74-65 lead with just over seven minutes remaining.

Cincinnati clawed back into the game, eventually tying the score at 77-77 on a 3-pointer by Lukosius with less than three minutes left.

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