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NCAA Basketball: Takeaways from the 2018 NIT Season Tip-Off

By Tristan Freeman

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 23: Udoka Azubuike #35 of the Kansas Jayhawks celebrates with the trophy after Kansas' 87-81 win over Tennessee Volunteers at the NIT Season Tip-Off Tournament at Barclays Center on November 23, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 23: Udoka Azubuike #35 of the Kansas Jayhawks celebrates with the trophy after Kansas' 87-81 win over Tennessee Volunteers at the NIT Season Tip-Off Tournament at Barclays Center on November 23, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 23: Quentin Grimes #5 and teammate Lagerald Vick #24 of the Kansas Jayhawks and teammates Admiral Schofield #5 and Jordan Bowden #23 of the Tennessee Volunteers react during the second half of the game against Kansas Jayhawks at the NIT Season Tip-Off Tournament at Barclays Center on November 23, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 23: Quentin Grimes #5 and teammate Lagerald Vick #24 of the Kansas Jayhawks and teammates Admiral Schofield #5 and Jordan Bowden #23 of the Tennessee Volunteers react during the second half of the game against Kansas Jayhawks at the NIT Season Tip-Off Tournament at Barclays Center on November 23, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Kansas was victorious over Tennessee to win the 2018 NIT Season Tip-Off. What were the biggest takeaways from this event?

Coming into the NIT Season Tip-Off, all hopes from neutral observers was that the finals ended up being between the No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks and No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers, which would make it the third matchup of top-5 teams already from this early 2018-19 season.

It ultimately ended up that way but it was by no means easy for either powerhouse team. For Kansas, they trailed by double-digits in the first half against a juggernaut offense in Marquette. However, the Golden Eagles offense cooled down in the second half, allowing the Jayhawks to take control and go away at the end of the game.

It took longer for Tennessee to do the same against a new-look Cardinals team that was a mystery coming into the tournament. After scoring 91 points on 54% shooting, the Vols pulled ahead at the end.

Friday’s games on paper looked balanced between the participants and the results proved it – with both games needing overtime to decide a winner. Marquette pulled out a huge win for both themselves and the Big East as a whole, winning 72-69 thanks to Sam Hauser’s 22 points.

Then in the main event, both Tennessee and Kansas needed an extra five minutes, with star forwards Udoka Azubuike and Grant Williams having fouled out for their respective teams. In the end, the Jayhawks had just enough to sneak by with an 87-81 victory.

With four entertaining games in the NIT Season Tip-Off, there was a fair amount to take away from each participating team. Here are the biggest ones.

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