2024 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament explained

Type:CollegeInsider.com
Year:2024
Teams:16 planned
9 accepted
Finalfourarena:Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall
Finalfourcity:Norfolk, Virginia
Champions:Norfolk State
Titlecount:1st
Runnerup:Purdue Fort Wayne
Gamecount:1st
Semifinal1:Alabama A&M
Semifinalcount:1st
Semifinal2:Tarleton State
Semifinalcount2:1st
Coach:Robert Jones
Coachcount:1st
Mop:Christian Ings
Mopteam:Norfolk State
Attendance:11,006
(average: 1,376 per game)

The 2024 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) was a postseason single-elimination tournament of NCAA Division I basketball teams. This was the first CIT contested since 2019. The 2020 and 2021 CITs were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the CIT was replaced by The Basketball Classic. Neither The Basketball Classic nor the CIT were contested in 2023. However, CollegeInsider.com announced in early March 2024, that the CIT was to be revived in a 16-team pod-based format for the 2023–24 postseason.[1] Ultimately, only nine teams agreed to play in the 2024 edition.[2]

Four classics were contested during the tournament, each named in honor of a legendary college basketball coach: Lou Henson, Jim Phelan, Hugh Durham and John McLendon. The winner of each classic was awarded a trophy, and a classic most valuable player was named.[1]

Norfolk State won their first-ever CIT title, defeating Purdue Fort Wayne, 75–67, after overcoming an 18-point deficit.

Participating teams

The teams listed below accepted an invitation to the 2024 CIT.[2]

Note: Team records are before playing in the tournament.

TeamConferencedata-sort-type="number"RecordAppearanceLast Bid
Abilene Christian[3] WAC15–172nd2018
Alabama A&M[4] SWAC11–221st
Austin Peay[5] ASUN19–153rd2018
Bowling Green[6] MAC20–133rd2015
Norfolk State[7] MEAC22–115th2017
Purdue Fort Wayne[8] Horizon21–125th2018
Tarleton State[9] WAC23–91st
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi[10] Southland21–115th2017
Texas Southern[11] SWAC16–162nd2019

Although the initial announcement that the tournament would be contested stated that all the teams would be seeded, no seeds were assigned to teams on the published schedule. However, Norfolk State indicated they are the no. 1 seed,[7] and they received a bye to the semifinals and hosted both games in which they played.

Schedule

SessionGameDateTime*MatchupScoreTelevisionAttendanceRef.
Lou Henson Classic
11March 197:00 pmTexas Southern at Tarleton State71–82ESPN+1,426[12]
29:00 pmAbilene Christian vs. Texas A&M–Corpus Christi73–63615[13]
23March 207:00 pmAbilene Christian at Tarleton State59–861,576[14]
Jim Phelan Classic
34March 207:00 pmPurdue Fort Wayne at Bowling Green77–75ESPN+1,219[15]
Hugh Durham Classic
45March 208:00 pmAlabama A&M at Austin Peay81–71ESPN+1,386[16]
John McLendon Classic (CIT Semifinal)
56March 234:00 pmAlabama A&M at Norfolk State81–66Spartan Showcase1,522[17]
Semifinal
67March 257:00 pmPurdue Fort Wayne at Tarleton State73–72ESPN+1,686[18]
Championship
78March 277:00 pmPurdue Fort Wayne at Norfolk State67–75Spartan Showcase1,576[19]

Game summaries

All times are in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4)

Final

Awards

The CIT presented the awards shown below.

AwardRecipientSchool
CIT MVPChristian IngsNorfolk State
Lou Henson Classic MVPKiAndre Gaddy[20] Tarleton State
Jim Phelan Classic MVPJalen Jackson[21] Purdue Fort Wayne
Hugh Durham Classic MVP
John McLendon Classic MVPDaryl Anderson[22] Norfolk State

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: CIT CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. CollegeInsider.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20240309194535/https://www.collegeinsider.com/tournament/schedule-results.php. March 9, 2024.
  2. Web site: CIT CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. March 19, 2024. CollegeInsider.com.
  3. Web site: Cats to Continue Season in CIT. Abilene Christian University Athletics. Fink. Ray. March 17, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  4. Web site: Alabama A&M Accepts CIT Bid, Visits Austin Peay on Wednesday. Alabama A&M Bulldogs. Howard. Brian. March 17, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  5. Web site: Austin Peay Accepts CIT Bid, Hosts Alabama A&M Wednesday. Atlantic Sun Conference. March 17, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  6. Web site: BGSU Men's Basketball Accepts Bid to CIT, Will Host Purdue Fort Wayne Wednesday. Bowling Green State University Athletics. Edmond. Kyle. March 17, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  7. Web site: Spartans Receive CIT Bid As No. 1 Seed; Host Semifinal on Saturday. Norfolk State University Spartans. March 18, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  8. Web site: Men's Basketball to Play in the CIT on Wednesday at BGSU. Purdue University Fort Wayne Mastodons. March 17, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  9. Web site: Tarleton State Earns Bid As Host School for CIT. Tarleton State University Athletics. Loewe. Andrew. March 17, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  10. Web site: Men's Basketball to Play in CIT Tuesday 8 p.m. CT against Abilene Christian. Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi Islanders. March 18, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  11. Web site: Men's Basketball to Participate in CIT Tuesday Night at Tarleton State. Texas Southern University Athletics. March 17, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  12. Web site: Williams' 21 Help Tarleton State Beat Texas Southern 82–71 in CIT. The Associated Press. March 19, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  13. Web site: DeGruy Scores 16 As Abilene Christian Beats Texas A&M–CC 73–63 in CIT. The Associated Press. March 19, 2024. March 20, 2024.
  14. Web site: Tarleton State Wins 86–59 over Abilene Christian in CIT. The Associated Press. March 20, 2024. March 21, 2024.
  15. Web site: Jackson Has 18 As Purdue Fort Wayne Beats Bowling Green 77–75 in CIT. The Associated Press. March 20, 2024. March 21, 2024.
  16. Web site: Moodie's 24 Lead Alabama A&M over Austin Peay in CIT 81–71. The Associated Press. March 20, 2024. March 21, 2024.
  17. Web site: Norfolk State Heads to CIT Championship with 81–66 Win over Alabama A&M. CBS Sports. March 23, 2024. March 24, 2024.
  18. Web site: Bello's 21 Lead Purdue Fort Wayne over Tarleton State 73–72 in CIT Semifinals. The Associated Press. March 25, 2024. March 26, 2024.
  19. Web site: Norfolk State beats Purdue Fort Wayne 75-67 for the CIT championship. The Associated Press. March 27, 2024. March 28, 2024.
  20. Web site: Tarleton State Routs Abilene Christian to Win the Lou Henson Classic Championship, to Host the CIT Semifinals Monday Night. Tarleton State University Athletics. Loewe. Andrew. March 20, 2024. March 21, 2024.
  21. Web site: Mulder's Late Hoop Lifts 'Dons to 77-75 CIT Win at Bowling Green. Purdue University Fort Wayne Mastodons. March 20, 2024. March 21, 2024.
  22. Web site: Anderson Catches Fire in Second Half; Spartans Dispatch Alabama A&M, 81–66, to Secure Spot in CIT Championship Game. Norfolk State University Spartans. Lehmbeck. Alex. March 23, 2024. March 24, 2024.