George Washington University
Valparaiso (NIT Final)
GW Men's Basketball Wins NIT Championship
3/31/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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NEW YORK -- For the first time in program history, the George Washington men's basketball team has won a postseason championship, as the Colonials claimed the NIT crown with a 76-60 victory over Valparaiso on Thursday evening at historic Madison Square Garden.
Tyler Cavanaugh was named Most Outstanding Player after averaging 19.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in the tournament's five games, including 12 points and six rebounds against the Crusaders in the title game, while seniors Patricio Garino, Kevin Larsen and Joe McDonald end their storied GW careers with spots on the All-Tournament Team.
Larsen, who scored a game-high 18 points on Thursday night, averaged 15.8 points per game in the tournament. Garino (14 points) and McDonald (13 points, 8 rebounds) also reached double figures in the championship contest.
GW used a 10-2 run to take a nine-point lead midway through the first half, but a three-pointer by Valparaiso's Alec Peters - the fifth member of the All-Tournament Team - capped an 8-0 Crusader surge and tied the score at 24-24 with 5:23 remaining. Valpo took a brief 29-27 lead on a tip-in by David Sarka with 2:11 left, but a three by Cavanaugh 16 seconds later put the Colonials on top for good. GW led, 32-31, at the break.
GW stretched its lead back to nine points early in the second half, and the advantage reached double figures on a trey by Matt Hart at the 12:26 mark. From there, the Colonials were in cruise control, never letting the Crusaders closer than 10 points the rest of the way and taking a game-high 19-point lead on a jumper by Yuta Watanabe with 55 seconds to go.
The Colonials (28-10) conclude the season with the most wins in program history and a record 74 wins over the last three years. Garino, Larsen and McDonald end their illustrious collegiate careers with 87 wins, three straight postseason berths and one NIT title.
