TCU Wins NIT Championship In A Blowout
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NEW YORK, NY (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - The TCU Horned Frogs began the game with a 16-1 run and never looked back, defeating Georgia Tech 88-56 Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
It was the first championship game TCU's men's basketball team had ever played in.
The Horned Frogs shot better than 50 percent from the field.
Junior guard Kenrich Williams led TCU with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
Williams was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Vlad Brodziansky scored 18 points for the Horned Frogs (24-15), and Alex Robinson had 10 points and 11 assists.
Tadric Jackson led Georgia Tech (21-16) with 19 points. Josh Okogie had 12 points and six rebounds.
It was the first meeting between the ACC and Big programs since Dec. 21, 1967, and No. 3 overall. And it mostly belonged to TCU, which never trailed.
The Horned Frogs led 38-27 at halftime, and it was more of the same in the second half. Williams and Brodziansky threw down thunderous dunks, and Williams knock down a 3 to help push the advantage to 54-39.
TCU shot 51 percent (35 for 68) from the field and held Georgia Tech to 35.7 percent (20 for 56) shooting.
The lead grew to 69-49 on Williams' breakaway jam with 6:44 left. Desmond Bane tacked on a 3 from in front of the TCU bench, helping kick off the celebration for the Horned Frogs.
TCU coach Jamie Dixon emptied his bench in the final minutes, and reserve Josh Parrish had a breakaway windmill jam in the final seconds.
Scores of TCU Horned Frogs fans who didn't make it to New York City to watch the Frogs make history gathered at the official watch party at Fred's Texas Café in Fort Worth.
Zack Davies a TCU alum and fan said, "We're hoping the next two years go to the big tournament and do something big."
Davies was alluding to the NCAA Tournament which TCU did not play in. The NIT Tournament is considered to be a second tier tournament.
However, fans said a championship is worth celebrating no matter what tournament the team played in especially because TCU has never done this before.
"It's awesome to watch TCU come up in basketball," said fan Kyle Finche. "Always been great at baseball, football, it awesome to see us compete in the Big 12."
The other championships TCU has claimed have been in women's golf and in rifle shooting.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
