INDIANAPOLIS — Collin Mulholland scored 19 points and made five 3-pointers, Garrison Keeslar sank a go-ahead jumper from the free throw line with 11 seconds left in overtime and Chattanooga became the first team from the Southern Conference to win the NIT championship after beating UC Irvine 85-84 on Thursday night.
Chattanooga (29-9) tied a program record for victories in a season after winning 17 of its last 18 to capture the program’s first postseason title.
UC Irvine 7-foot-1 center Bent Leuchten went to the free throw line with 31 seconds left in overtime for a chance at a three-point lead, but he missed both free throws. After Keeslar’s make, an entry pass to Leuchten was overthrown and Chattanooga secured the loose ball before missing two free throws to give the Anteaters another chance.
Devin Tillis tossed a full-court pass with 2.4 seconds left that Leuchten grabbed with one hand and passed it to Jurian Dixon under the basket for a layup attempt that rolled off as time expired.
UC Irvine (32-7) was also playing in the program’s first NIT championship game.
Bonham had 19 points to go with 10 rebounds for Chattanooga. Keeslar secured his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Honor Huff also had 14 points.
Tillis scored 13 of his 19 points in the first half for UC Irvine. Leuchten finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Bonham sank a half-court shot just before the halftime buzzer to give Chattanooga a 38-37 lead at the break.
Both teams had a controversial call go against them in the final 20 seconds of regulation. Huff kicked out a leg to draw a foul and made three free throws with 16.3 seconds left to give Chattanooga its first lead, 76-74, since it was 38-37. Then Myles Che got a defender in the air on a 3-pointer and jumped into him before making two of three free throws to tie it at 76-76.
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