Tulsa vs New Mexico

NIT Sweet 16 Recap What a thriller in the Albuquerque Region. Despite being a 3.5-point favorite at neutral Hinkle Fieldhouse, New Mexico couldn't close out Tulsa in a back-and-forth NIT Sweet 16 battle. The Golden Hurricane led 36-29 at halftime and stretched their advantage to nine, but the Lobos clawed back to tie it up late. The final minutes belonged to Tulsa though—Tylen Riley and David Green took over down the stretch, combining for clutch baskets and free throws. Riley's late jumpers and layups, followed by Green's layup with 1:20 remaining, put Tulsa in the driver's seat. The Golden Hurricane's closing free throws sealed it: 74-69. A stunning upset. After controlling the first half and building their cushion early in the second, New Mexico couldn't maintain momentum as Tulsa's 8-1 run (58-59 to 59-67) flipped the script. The Lobos' late free throws from Jake Hall cut it close, but Tulsa's composure in crunch time proved decisive. Golden Hurricane advances to the NIT Regional Final.