It might not be the NCAA Tourney, but Tigers have a lot to play for
By: will-vandervort March 23, 2019

Though Clemson has a lot of respect for the Wichita State basketball program and head coach Greg Marshall, Brad Brownell says Sunday’s 2 p.m., game at Littlejohn Coliseum against the Shockers in the second-round of the NIT does not have an NCAA Tournament feel to it.

“No, it doesn’t,” he said “Obviously, we have a lot of respect for their program and how they play, they play the game a lot like we do.”

This is the first year Wichita State (20-14) has not played in the NCAA Tournament since the 2010-’11 season. Under Marshall, they have advanced past the first round five times, made it to the Sweet 16 twice (2013 and ’15) and to the Final Four in 2013.

Clemson (20-13) advanced to the Sweet 16 last year but failed to return to the Big Dance for a second straight year, despite the return of four seniors, including All-ACC guard Marcquise Reed. The Tigers were done in by so many close losses, including six by two points or less.

However, despite the non-NCAA Tournament feel to the NIT, Brownell says there is a grand prize to play for … a trip to New York and an opportunity to play at historic Madison Square Garden.

“New York City, I have said, it is a carrot for these guys,” Brownell said. “They see Madison Square Garden on TV. They have heard about it. They know some of the big games that have been played there by some of the game’s greats.

“I think they would be excited about that and know that it would be a bucket list type thing for them to be able to play there and have an opportunity to go to New York City with their teammates. I think that would be a lot of fun, so certainly that is something guys talk about in the locker room and are excited about.”

The Clemson-Wichita State winner will play at Indiana on Tuesday (8:30 p.m.) with the trip to New York at stake. Indian knocked off Arkansas in the second round on Saturday to advance the quarterfinals of the NIT.

That means Sunday’s game at Littlejohn will be the last of the year for the Tigers and the last ever for Reed and fellow seniors David Skara and Elijah Thomas.