Rutgers loses NIT sport in dramatic vogue after governor chides NCAA for leaving crew out of event

College basketball followers voiced help for Rutgers when the crew was neglected of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament however the Scarlet Knights did not reside as much as the excessive expectations on Tuesday.

Hofstra upset Rutgers within the first spherical of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) 88-86 in additional time after the Scarlet Knights blew a five-point lead with 30 seconds left in regulation. Hofstra’s Tyler Thomas made a three-pointer to carry the sport inside two and Nelson Boachie-Yiadom hit the game-tying shot to ship the sport into additional time.

Nelson Boachie-Yiadom and German Plotnikov of the Hofstra Pride have a good time after defeating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 88-86 in additional time at Jersey Mike’s Arena on March 14, 2023, in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

In additional time, Rutgers’ Derek Simpson made a layup to tie the sport with 32 seconds left. Thomas then got here down and made a jumper to go up two factors with 10 seconds remaining. Hofstra would maintain off the Scarlet Knights’ last-ditch effort.

Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell thanked his seniors for exhibiting up and enjoying their hearts out in a hard-fought sport.

“I used to be nervous (after Selection Sunday) they usually got here able to play,” he mentioned, by way of My Central Jersey. “It was a fantastic school basketball sport, I do know we didn’t win, I perceive that, however for these guys, an enormous thanks.”

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Head coach Steve Pikiell of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights questions a name throughout the NIT event sport in opposition to the Hofstra Pride on March 14, 2023, in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Cam Spencer led Rutgers with 22 factors, eight rebounds and 5 assists. Simpson had 19 factors and 4 assists.

Hofstra’s Thomas had a game-high 25 factors within the win.

Rutgers’ loss got here after an outcry concerning the NCAA Selection Committee leaving them out of the sphere of 68 for the Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy was among the many Rutgers followers who scolded the NCAA for the snub.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy criticized the NCAA Selection Committee earlier this week. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

“#35 in KenPom rankings. Beat #1 seed Purdue on the highway and almost beat them once more two days in the past. And received in opposition to a lot of robust groups throughout the season,” Murphy tweeted.

“Rutgers ought to have made the Tourney. Period. Full cease.”

There will nonetheless be a rooting curiosity for Murphy as Princeton and Fairleigh Dickinson made the lads’s subject. Princeton and Monmouth made it on the ladies’s facet. However, Fairleigh Dickinson and Monmouth are in play-in video games to get to the primary spherical.