Historic Advancement: The Mocs defeated Loyola Chicago 80-73 in the NIT semifinals to earn their first-ever trip to the NIT Championship game.
Semifinal Stars: Trey Bonham led Chattanooga with 23 points, while Honor Huff hit a crucial late 3-pointer and finished with 12 points. Bash Wieland also contributed 12 points. For Loyola Chicago, Jayden Dawson scored 19 points.
Championship Matchup: Chattanooga (28-9) will face the UC Irvine Anteaters (32-6) in the final. UC Irvine advanced by defeating North Texas 69-67, setting a school record for wins in a season.
Game Details: The NIT Championship game is scheduled for Thursday night, April 3rd, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET, hosted at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Why this matters: This is a significant achievement for the Chattanooga Mocs program, representing their deepest run in any NCAA-operated postseason tournament. It brings national attention to the team and university. The NIT itself is a prestigious tournament for high-performing Division I teams that didn't make the NCAA Tournament field.
The semifinal clash saw Chattanooga overcome a 38-34 halftime deficit against Loyola Chicago. The Mocs built a 10-point lead (67-57) midway through the second half, spearheaded by Trey Bonham's scoring. However, Loyola fought back, with a Des Watson 3-pointer cutting the deficit to just one point (74-73) with 2:37 remaining. Honor Huff responded immediately with a clutch 3-pointer for the Mocs, sparking a game-closing 6-0 run to secure the 80-73 victory. Makai Richards also provided a boost off the bench, scoring 10 points on perfect 5-for-5 shooting.
Their championship opponent, UC Irvine, enters the final with an impressive 32-6 record, having set a new program benchmark for single-season wins after their semifinal victory over North Texas. The Anteaters are considered slight favorites, opening as 3.5-point favorites according to the SportsLine consensus odds, with the over/under set at 145.5 points. Chattanooga has thrived in the underdog role throughout the tournament.
Q: What is the NIT?
A: The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) is an annual postseason tournament for NCAA Division I men's college basketball teams that do not get selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament. It's operated by the NCAA and considered a prestigious event.
Q: Is this Chattanooga's best postseason run?
A: Yes, reaching the NIT Championship game marks the longest run in an NCAA postseason event in the history of the Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball program.
Q: Who is favored to win the NIT Championship?
A: UC Irvine is currently favored by 3.5 points over Chattanooga in the betting odds.
Historic Moment: Witness a potentially historic moment for Chattanooga Mocs basketball as they compete for their first-ever NIT title.
Underdog Story: Chattanooga has overcome expectations throughout the tournament, making their journey compelling to follow.
What to Watch: Look for continued strong play from Trey Bonham and Honor Huff, and see if the Mocs can contain the high-achieving UC Irvine team. The game takes place Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.
This marks an unprecedented run for the Mocs! Do you think Chattanooga can pull off one more upset and capture the NIT title against UC Irvine? Let us know your predictions!
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Source 1: Chattanooga Mocs secure historic spot in NIT finals target="_blank"
Source 2: Chattanooga eliminates Loyola in NIT semifinal - Chicago Sun-Times target="_blank"
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