For the first time in more than 60 years, the National Invitation Tournament has a repeat champion -- South Carolina.
Renaldo Balkman, who was named the tournament's most outstanding player, had 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Gamecocks successfully defended their title Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, defeating Michigan 76-64 in the championship game.
At the final buzzer, the victors raised their arms in the air and smiled widely. South Carolina (23-15) had no band, and only two of its cheerleaders attended the game. But team spirit was in abundance.
"For a team to do that, it's just great," Gamecocks guard Tre' Kelley said. The scene was a virtual rerun of the postgame celebration after last year's final, when South Carolina beat St. Joseph's.
The only other team to repeat at the NIT was St. John's, the champion in 1943 and 1944.
Michigan was aiming for its second title in three years, having beaten Rutgers in the 2004 final.
South Carolina never trailed, taking a 12-point lead at halftime that swelled to 18 points midway through second half.
The Gamecocks were quicker on both sides of the ball. On offense, they looked crisp, finding the open man with extra passes. On defense, they pressured Michigan into numerous turnovers.
Balkman, a forward, dominated inside, scoring on open dunks and even leading the break. He also finished with six blocks and three first-half steals. Kelley and
Tarence Kinsey seemed to cover every corner of the court on defense.
Kelley hit three 3-pointers early in the second half to keep Michigan at bay. He finished with 20 points; Kinsey had a game-high 21.
South Carolina's season was filled with triumph and disappointment. The Gamecocks went 6-10 in the Southeastern Conference but reached the conference tournament's final, losing by two points to Florida, now a Final Four team in the NCAA tournament.
After receiving a No. 3 seeding in the NIT, the Gamecocks played with renewed vigor, beating Western Kentucky and Florida State in the first two rounds before knocking off three top-seeded teams, Cincinnati, Louisville and Michigan.
The Gamecocks probably would have preferred to play in the NCAA tournament, but another NIT championship was the next best thing.
The winner of the NCAA tournament's final, to be played on Monday night, will be the only other Division I team to end the postseason with a victory.
South Carolina coach Dave Odom did not guarantee a victory, but he promised that his players would use every ounce of energy they had during the final. That proved to be good enough.
Before a Garden that appeared to be less than half full, Michigan was tentative early and South Carolina capitalized with numerous steals. After eight minutes, the Gamecocks led by 18-8.
Michigan eventually found its rhythm, going on a 7-0 run to close the gap to 24-21.
With 5 minutes 17 seconds remaining before halftime, Balkman blocked Brent Petway's shot, collected the loose ball and swung his elbows. Petway retaliated by shoving Balkman to the ground, which the officials ruled a flagrant foul.
The play sparked South Carolina, which went into halftime leading by 39-27.
Michigan got off to a 16-3 start this season, then sustained several injuries. Before the NIT, the Wolverines lost seven of nine games, including an opening-round loss in the Big Ten Conference tournament that kept them out of the NCAA tournament.
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