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Both NIT Semifinal Games Have A One Point Spread

Both NIT Semifinal Games Have A One Point Spread

While the four NIT teams left don't have Duke, UNC, Villanova or Kansas' clout, we are definitely in store for two great games at the Garden. Don't sleep on the Bonnies & Aggies 😴 (4 min read)

Cooper Halpern
March 29, 2022

Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images

NIT Final Four @ MSG Preview

Although March Madness gets all the buzz this time of year, the other highly competitive college tournament is closing in on its final rounds. After Selection Sunday decides which 68 teams will play for the Division I NCAA Championship, the next 32 make up the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) -- take a look at this year's bracket 📝

Of the 32 teams invited to the NIT, four remain, with the tourney's final three games set to take place at Madison Square Garden for what could be the last time for the next few years. Check out the lines heading into Tuesday night 👇

St. Bonaventure vs. No. 2 Xavier (subject to change)

Spread: St. Bonaventure -1.5
Moneyline: Bonnies -125 (bet $125, win $100), Xavier +105
O/U: 140.5

No. 4 Washington State vs. No. 1 Texas A&M (subject to change)

Spread: Texas A&M -1.5
Moneyline: Texas A&M -125, Washington St. +105
O/U: 133.5

Trivia question: Which school has won the most NIT championships? (answer below)

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

St. Bonaventure vs. Xavier Preview

In order to reach the NIT Final Four, St. Bonaventure has downed three Power-5 programs in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Virginia. Although they've made the NCAA Tournament eight times in their history, and actually won the A-10 regular season and conference tournament last year, the Bonnies were on the outside looking in this time around 😥

Since this is their first appearance in either tourney's Final Four since the 1970s, the school is going all out for their chance to celebrate this chance to bring home some hardware
With the support of alumni and donors, St Bonaventure is sending eight busses to MSG so that more than 400 students can go see the game in person 🙏

Interestingly, the Bonnies have leaned heavily on the four guards in their starting lineup, as each of the quartet averages over 37 minutes per game

In fact, all four of Jaren Holmes, Jalen Adaway, Kyle Lofton, and Dominick Welch have each played the entire game several times
Their level of fatigue at this point in the season is certainly something to keep an eye on in the contest (per Cincinnati Inquirer's Adam Baum)

Xavier, on the other hand, entered the NIT disappointed with their season. After ending the regular season on the bubble, they suffered an opening-round loss to 14-19 Butler, which ended their chance at a March Madness appearance.

Now, they'll have to go on without their star guard, Paul Scruggs, who went down with a torn ACL in the second round 🤕
While they've proven they can win without him, squeaking past No. 4 Vanderbilt by a single bucket in the Elite Eight, the entire squad will need to bring their A-game in order to topple a motivated St. Bonaventure squad

Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images

Washington State vs. Texas A&M Preview

After massive upsets vs. Arkansas and Auburn in the SEC Tournament, Texas A&M fell one game short of a NCAAM appearance when they lost to Tennessee in the finals 😏

Their season didn't end there though, as they've steamrolled their way to the NIT Final Four as a No. 1 seed, winning every game so far by double-digits
Keep an eye on Quenton Jackson, who leads the Aggies in scoring at 14.5 PPG

However, despite coming in as a No. 4 seed, Washington State has also won all three of their games by at least a dozen points, including a 13-point bashing of No. 1 SMU

In particular, Michael Flowers has been their standout performer, putting up 49 points across the tourney's last two rounds
Washington State may need him to get hot for the third straight game if they hope to take down another top seed 🔥

Photo by Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

For My Parlay Gurus

The lines in both of these games are so close, and honestly anything can happen at the Garden. I'm banking on both favorites to hold strong, with St. Bonaventure and Texas A&M taking care of business on their way to a matchup in the Championship Game. Take a look 👇

St. Bonaventure -1.5 vs. No. 2 Xavier: -110
No. 1 Texas A&M -1.5 vs. No. 4 Washington State: -110

$100 on this bet would win you $264 -- if we hit, make sure you email [email protected] for a chance to win up to $100*. Many will enter, only some will win 😉

Trivia answer: Only five schools have won the NIT more than twice, but no one has more than St. John's five titles. Their most recent championship came back in 1989, but they would have had their sixth title in 2003 had it not been vacated due to the use of an ineligible player

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