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Quiz about National Invitational Tournament

National Invitational Tournament Quiz

Long regarded as a "losers" tournament, the NIT has a long and rich history. This quiz covers some of the NIT's shining moments. Additional information from Wikipedia, NIT.org, and the ESPN Sports Almanac 2006.

A multiple-choice quiz by cag1970. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
cag1970

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
228,882

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
282

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which team won the first National Invitational Tournament in 1938? Hint

Temple

California

Wake Forest

Ohio State

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Question 2 of 10

2. A number of teams have won at least two NIT championships.Which team was the first to do it? Hint

St. John's

Virginia

Bradley

LIU-Brooklyn

3. The 1949-50 team from CCNY did something no other basketball team had ever done, and will never do again. They won both the NIT and NCAA tournaments in the same year. Which team did they meet and defeat in both of those tournaments? Hint

Dayton

Bradley

Duquesne

Canisius

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Question 4 of 10

4. LaSalle star Tom Gola, who helped the Explorers win the 1952 NIT championship, held what unusual distinction(s)? Hint

He was the first person to share the NIT most valuable player award

All of these statements are true

He is one of only two players to win NIT, NCAA, and NBA championships

He is the only person to win NIT and NCAA MVP awards

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Question 5 of 10

5. In 1971, the North Carolina Tar Heels claimed the NIT championship when they beat which future Atlantic Coast Conference rival 84-66? Hint

Boston College

Florida State

Virginia Tech

Georgia Tech

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Question 6 of 10

6. Between 1973 and 1976, the most valuable player of the NIT played for a team that did not win the tournament. Which of those MVPs played for a team that did NOT reach the championship game of the tournament the year he won the MVP award? Hint

John Shumate, Notre Dame (1973)

Cedric Maxwell, UNC-Charlotte (1976)

Ron Lee, Oregon (1975)

Mike Sojourner, Utah (1974)

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Question 7 of 10

7. In 1989 and 1990, the St. Louis Billikens made it to the NIT championship game, only to fall short each time. Which two teams did Saint Louis lose to? Hint

St. John's and Vanderbilt

Southern Mississippi and Vanderbilt

St. John's and Southern Mississippi

Stanford and Vanderbilt

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Question 8 of 10

8. Virginia Tech won NIT championships in 1973 and 1995. Which of the following statements about those championships is false? Hint

Both games went to overtime

Virginia Tech won one of the championships by forfeit

Virginia Tech won both games by one point

Marquette and Notre Dame were the losers in those games

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Question 9 of 10

9. In 2005, the NCAA purchased the NIT from the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association. As part of the purchase, the MIBA disbanded. Which of the following New York area schools was not part of the MIBA? Hint

St. John's University

Manhattan College

Wagner College

Columbia University

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Question 10 of 10

10. The 2006 NIT field featured how many teams? Hint

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which team won the first National Invitational Tournament in 1938?

Answer: Temple

In a field that consisted of just six teams, the Temple Owls defeated the Colorado Buffaloes 60-36 to win the very first National Invitational Tournament. Don Shields of Temple was named as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

2. A number of teams have won at least two NIT championships.Which team was the first to do it?

Answer: LIU-Brooklyn

After winning the second NIT in 1939 over Loyola-Illinois, LIU-Brooklyn became the first two-time winner in 1941. They defeated Ohio and tournament MVP Frank Baumholtz 56-42.

Answer: Bradley

It is impossible for a school to play in both the NIT and the NCAA tournaments today. But in 1950, CCNY and Bradley met for the championship of both tournaments. Bradley lost both games by a total of 11 points.

4. LaSalle star Tom Gola, who helped the Explorers win the 1952 NIT championship, held what unusual distinction(s)?

Answer: All of these statements are true

One of the most celebrated players to ever come out of Philadelphia, Tom Gola shared the NIT MVP award with teammate Norm Grekin, after LaSalle beat Dayton 75-64. In 1954, he won the same award in the NCAA, when LaSalle beat Bradley 92-76. In 1956, he won an NBA title with the Philadelphia Warriors, and led the Warriors back to the NBA Finals in 1959, only to lose to the Boston Celtics.

After his pro career ended in 1966, Gola coached LaSalle for two years, served in the Pennsylvania legislature and served as the controller for the City of Philadelphia.

5. In 1971, the North Carolina Tar Heels claimed the NIT championship when they beat which future Atlantic Coast Conference rival 84-66?

Answer: Georgia Tech

North Carolina is a charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, having left the old Southern Conference with six other schools in 1953. Georgia Tech, at the time of their championship meeting, was an independent, having left the Southeastern Conference in 1964.

The Yellow Jackets became a charter member of the now-defunct Metro Conference in 1975 for all sports except football, and left to join the ACC in 1978.

Answer: Ron Lee, Oregon (1975)

The 1975 NIT championship game pitted the Princeton Tigers against the Providence Friars. Princeton won that game 80-69. Notre Dame fell to Virginia Tech 92-91 in overtime in 1973; Purdue beat Utah 97-81 in 1974; and Kentucky defeated UNC-Charlotte 71-67 in 1976.

7. In 1989 and 1990, the St. Louis Billikens made it to the NIT championship game, only to fall short each time. Which two teams did Saint Louis lose to?

Answer: St. John's and Vanderbilt

St. Louis was not the first team to lose back-to-back NIT championship games. In fact, Dayton did it TWICE in the 1950s (1951-1952, 1956-1957). The Billikens lost both games by a total of 10 points.

8. Virginia Tech won NIT championships in 1973 and 1995. Which of the following statements about those championships is false?

Answer: Virginia Tech won one of the championships by forfeit

Virginia Tech's NIT titles were definitely hard-earned. Not only did they go to overtime both times, they barely left Madison Square Garden with the trophy. Forfeits were not part of the equation in either case.

Answer: Columbia University

Representatives of NYU, Fordham, Manhattan, Wagner and St. John's comprised the MIBA, which took over administration of the NIT from the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association in 1940. The NCAA bought the tournament to settle an anti-trust lawsuit.

10. The 2006 NIT field featured how many teams?

Answer: 40

Featuring 40 teams since 2002, the NIT field in 2006 included several past tournament champions, including Maryland (1972), Minnesota (1993 and 1998), Stanford (1991), Virginia (1980 and 1992) and Wake Forest (2000), along with 2005 champion South Carolina.

Source: Author cag1970

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