NIT ROUNDUP Tuesday's game

West Virginia 63, Mississippi State 62
NEW YORK -- Darris Nichols hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift West Virginia in the semifinals of the NIT at Madison Square Garden. Nichols finished with 17 points and Frank Young added 16 to for the Mountaineers (26-9). Nichols' basket capped a wild sequence in the final minute. West Virginia came back from a 14-point deficit in the second half and took a 60-59 lead when Jamie Smalligan made 2-of-3 free throws with 53 seconds left. Barry Stewart's jumper regained Mississippi State's lead 9 seconds later. The Mountaineers then had three chances on the offensive end. Young missed a 3, Smalligan got the rebound and missed a short jumper, and Da'Sean Butler missed a layup attempt. Jamont Gordon got the rebound for the Bulldogs, was fouled by Butler and made one free throw with 16.3 seconds left to give Mississippi State a 62-60 lead. Nichols missed a 3 with 5 seconds left, but the Mountaineers got the rebound and called timeout with 2.1 to go. On the ensuing inbounds play, Bulldogs coach Rick Stansbury was on the court screaming for a timeout before Alex Ruoff inbounded the ball, but the coach wasn't seen by the officials.
Associated Press
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