Longhorns buck Bison to claim NIT title

Associated Press

New York

Texas can hook its horns to an NIT championship.

Dylan Osetkowski had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead Texas to the NIT championship with an 81-66 win over Lipscomb on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

“It’s great to win a championship,” coach Shaka Smart said.

The Longhorns (21-16) beat South Dakota State, Xavier, Colorado and TCU to reach the final, and survived a few late shots at the lead to win their first NIT title since 1978.

Smart, just 71-66 in four seasons with the Longhorns, got Texas to cut down the nets the same time he is reportedly on the short list of candidates to take the UCLA vacancy. Texas has not won an NCAA Tournament game under Smart and few Texas fans would weep if he left for the Bruins.

Smart was doused with water in the locker room and had a towel with him as he walked to a press conference.

“There have been teams that have come and won the NIT and used it as an unbelievable springboard,” Smart said. “And there’s teams that haven’t.”

Jase Febres held off the Bisons with 3s in the second half that extended the lead to 13 points and kept the Longhorns in charge. He finished with 16 points and Kerwin Roach II had 16.

Smart shared a moment with the troubled Roach on the court, an emotional time for a senior in his final game who has been suspended three times over his career. Roach was named the NIT’s most outstanding player.

“He’s had some phenomenal moments,” Smart said. “I don’t think he thought he’d be in college this long.”

Osetkowski hit three 3s for 15 points in the first half and the Longhorns raced out to a 41-27 lead. The Longhorns will take their shorn nets back to Texas — with Smart’s fate yet to be determined.

Garrison Mathews scored 15 points for the Bisons (29-8). He made all 10 free throws but missed 8 of 10 shots from the floor.

“They took Garrison for the large part out of the game,” Casey Alexander said. “The only thing to be sad about is that it’s over.”