With Vanderbilt basketball finally healthy, Scotty Pippen Jr. is showing out in NIT run

Several programs see the NIT as a consolation, a mere participation trophy for owning a winning record that wasn’t pretty ample for March Insanity.

Not Vanderbilt.

The Commodores welcomed the prospect of the NIT. They brazenly advocated for their choice. And when they had been awarded a place in the tournament and two online games at Memorial Gymnasium, the students confirmed up, loud and very pleased, building their mark on every single possession.

In front of a “white out” crowd Sunday, guard Scotty Pippen Jr. showed out in what may have been his past sport at the arena. He scored 32 details with seven assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals, setting the solitary-time program scoring document to go out with a 70-68 overtime victory about Dayton to advance to the NIT quarterfinals.

“The environment was excellent,” Pippen mentioned. “The fans came out currently and the past couple of games and I consider that is definitely served us a whole lot, is feeding off the group. And you know, if it truly is my final sport, it truly is a superior way to go out.”

THE Video game: Scotty Pippen Jr. scores 32 in earn vs. Dayton to ship Vanderbilt basketball to NIT quarterfinals

The Commodores will hit the street for the quarterfinals to face Xavier (20-13) on Tuesday (8 p.m. CT, ESPN) with a journey to Madison Sq. Yard on the line.

Though it was Pippen who took above the match down the stretch, his teammates produced essential performs as effectively. Wing Jordan Wright bought a steal at the end of regulation with the score tied, then strike a critical 3 in extra time. Heart Quentin Millora-Brown played potent defense and rebounded nicely. When he fouled out, center Liam Robbins, who hadn’t practiced all 7 days with a swollen ankle and hadn’t played properly in the very first fifty percent, made the video game-winning shot and obtained the block on the previous possession to seal the get.

Guard Rodney Chatman, a Dayton transfer, performed 40 minutes on a bum hamstring against his aged staff. Chatman jawed a couple instances with his previous teammates, taking part in with large depth and finishing with nine points, a few rebounds and 3 assists.

Tale carries on

And Vanderbilt never ever enable up. The workforce that in the standard season commonly gave up 2nd-50 percent operates or collapsed down the extend stayed with the Flyers the whole game, then executed when it wanted to most.

“It can be a good self esteem-builder for us,” Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse explained. “But I imagine we type of knew it it is really just, we did not have prospect to demonstrate it. …. We acquired every person healthful, was capable to make a genuinely huge push. … We’re participating in like (an NCAA Event crew) correct now. But for us and where by we’ve been over the previous couple several years, striving to build and create a foundation, we are fired up to play (in the NIT).”

Aria Gerson addresses Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Get hold of her at [email protected] or on Twitter @aria_gerson.

This short article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt basketball enjoying healthful, confident in NIT