Penn State pulled away in the second half to beat Utah, 82-66, and win the 2018 NIT championship Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
Penn State wins 2018 NIT championship
The Nittany Lions end their dream season with a NIT crown.
Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Penn State sophomore forward Lamar Stevens scored 14 of his 28 points in the first half, and for the tournament averaged 19.2 points and 4.0 rebounds.
John Harrar added 12 rebounds for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State had a five-point lead at halftime but a 24-14 burst in the third quarter expanded the advantage, which swelled to as high as 16 points. Sophomore Tony Carr was also instrumental in the victory, just barely missing a triple-double with 15 points, 14 assists, and nine rebounds.
Sedrick Barefield scored 22 points for the Utes, including 14 in the first half on perfect 5-for-5 shooting. The junior guard averaged 15.8 points during the NIT, including 16-for-31 from three-point range in the five games.
This was the second NIT championship for Penn State, who also beat Baylor in the 2009 title game. Just like that 2009 team, who two years later went onto play in the NCAA tournament, this year’s Nittany Lions will hope to carry that momentum into next year and receive a bid to the Big Dance.
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