The National Catholic Invitational Tournament (NCIT) was a men's college basketball tournament played in the late 1940s and early 1950s. At the time the NCIT was one of the three major college basketball postseason tournaments that included the NCAA, NIT, and NCIT.[1] In 1949 the NCAA and NIT tournaments featured only eight invites each and the scarcity of post season opportunities allowed the NCIT to provide an option for quality basketball programs without conference affiliations to participate in post season play. Only Catholic schools were invited to participate. In the inaugural year sixteen Catholic schools were invited to participate, but the tournament reduced the field to eight teams in 1950.

Champions

YearChampionRunner-upFinal scoreLocation
1949RegisSt. Francis (NY)51-47Denver, CO
1950SienaSt. Francis (NY)57-50Albany, NY
1951St. Francis (NY)Seattle93-79Albany, NY
1952MarquetteSt. Francis (PA)76-64Troy, NY

1949 National Catholic Invitation Tournament

Regis College captured the inaugural NCIT championship in Denver by defeating St. Francis 51-47.[2] The Rangers were one of four seeded teams that included Gonzaga, St. Thomas and Siena. Regis would advance to the finals to play St. Francis of Brooklyn. The Terriers were invited to participate in the tournament featured star Tommy Gallagher.[3][4][5] Gallagher was awarded a trophy as the Tournaments outstanding player.[6] Regis placed three players on the all tournament team.[7]

First Round
March 23 		Quarterfinals
March 24 		Semifinals
March 25 		Finals
March 26
St. Francis (NY) 61
St. Norbert's 53 St. Francis (NY) 59
3 St. Thomas 69 3 St. Thomas 42
St. Edward's 32 St. Francis (NY) 69
St. Benedict's 60 St. Benedict's 40
Siena 46 St. Benedict's 59
Dayton 53 Dayton 55
Loras 52 St. Francis (NY) 47
2 Regis 63 2 Regis 51
Iona 51 2 Regis 66
Saint Francis (PA) 57 Saint Francis (PA) 49
Mount St. Mary's 51 2 Regis 67 Third place
Loyola (MD) 75 Loyola (MD) 60
St. Ambrose 58 Loyola (MD) 53 Loyola (MD) 71
4 Gonzaga 49 4 Gonzaga 51 St. Benedict's 70
St. Bonaventure 40

1950 National Catholic Invitation Tournament

Originally the tournament was to take place at Loyola College in Baltimore, MD from March 15 to March 22 and feature sixteen teams. Yet, because of segregation and protest from St. Francis College about the unequal treatment of its black players, the tournament was moved to Albany, NY and featured eight teams.[8][9] Creighton was favored to win the tournament, although they had a 13-13 record going into the tournament the Bluejays had the toughest schedule of the eight competing teams.[10]

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
 
 
 
St. Francis (NY)67
 
 
 
Creighton66
 
St. Francis (NY)62
 
 
 
Iona61
 
Iona 71
 
 
 
 Saint Michael's 55
 
St. Francis (NY)50
 
 
 
Siena57
 
Loras59
 
 
 
 Saint Francis (PA) 58
 
Siena75
 
 
 
Loras55 Third place
 
Siena86
 
 
 
 Providence 49
 
Loras55
 
 
Iona52
 

1951 National Catholic Invitation Tournament

The tournament took place at the Albany Armory in Albany, NY from March 13 to March 17. St. Francis of Brooklyn appeared in the title game for the third straight year, but this time came away with the championship banner. Ray Rudzinski led the Terriers with 26 points while Vernon Stokes scored 22 and Roy Reardon scored 21.

In January 1951, the National Catholic Intercollegiate Athletic Association, sponsor and organizer of the tournament, announced the 1951 NCIT would feature a 12-team field from all parts of the nation. Automatic bids were to be awarded to the champions two conferences: The Eastern Catholic Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Siena, Seton Hall, Iona, Le Moyne, St. Francis (NY), Saint Francis (PA), Loyola Maryland, Saint Peter's and King's) and the Midlands Conference (St. Ambrose University, Saint Joseph's (IN), Loras and St. Norbert). In addition, one bid was reserved for either Portland, Gonzaga or Seattle to represent the Pacific Northwest.[11]

First round[12] Quarter-finals[13][14] Semi-finals[15] Final[16]
Loras 63
St. Francis (NY) 74 St. Francis (NY) 65
Spring Hill 65 St. Francis (NY) 84
Le Moyne 66
Siena 53
Le Moyne 95 Le Moyne 57
Saint Michael's 57 St. Francis (NY) 93
Seattle 79
Seattle 69
Iona 54 Iona 67
St. Mary's (MN) 52 Seattle 102 Third place
Mount St. Mary's 85
Saint Francis (PA) 74 Le Moyne 63
Mount St. Mary's 91 Mount St. Mary's 83 Mount St. Mary's 61
St. Norbert 59

1952 National Catholic Invitation Tournament

The tournament took place at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Field House in Troy, New York, from March 15 to March 22.[17] Marquette University, under rookie head coach Tex Winter, defeated St. Francis (PA) to capture their first national tournament championship. The Warriors were seeded second and defeated Iona, St. Francis of Brooklyn before capturing the title. Coach Winter was the youngest basketball coach in college at the time. The winning Warriors were honored in 2002 for the 50th anniversary of the accomplishment.[18]

First round[19][20] Quarter-finals[21] Semi-finals[22] Final[23]
(1 seed) Siena 79
Scranton 85 Scranton 57
Saint Mary's (MN) 78 Saint Francis (PA) 54
Siena 51
(3 seed) Saint Joseph's 56
Saint Francis (PA) 66 Saint Francis (PA) 65
Loyola (MD) 52 Marquette 76
Saint Francis (PA) 64
(2 seed) Marquette 66
Iona 68 Iona 59
Gannon (PA) 52 Marquette 79 Third place
St. Francis (NY) 57
(4 seed) St. Francis (NY) 75 Siena 64
Le Moyne 67 Le Moyne 61 St. Francis (NY) 50
Providence 63

References

  1. ↑ March 9, Chuck Miller on; AM, 2010 at 6:50 (2010-03-09). "Siena's First National Basketball Championship". Chuck Miller. Retrieved 2020-05-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ "Brown and Gold Vol 33". Regis Archives.
  3. ↑ "Terrier Five in Receipt of NCIT Hoop Bid". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  4. ↑ "St. Francis O.K.'s NCIT Tourney Bid". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "St. Francis Five Bids for U.S. Catholic Crown". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  6. ↑ "Terrier Five Given Reception by Students". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  7. ↑ Seaman, Jack. "All Americans". No. Vol 33. Brown and Gold.
  8. ↑ "NEGRO BAN CAUSES SHIFT". New York Times. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  9. ↑ Miller, Chuck (March 9, 2010). "Siena's First National Basketball Championship". Albany, New York: Times Union. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "Terrier Five Draws Creighton in NCI Play". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "Third NCIT Slated for March 12–17". The Troy Record. Troy, New York. February 1, 1951. p. 18. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  12. ↑ "ST. FRANCIS BEATS SPRING HILL, 74-65". New York Times. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  13. ↑ "TERRIERS DEFEAT LORAS FIVE, 65-63". New York Times. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  14. ↑ "IONA FIVE SET BACK BY SEATTLE, 69-67". New York Times. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  15. ↑ "ST. FRANCIS WINS, 84-66, GAINS FINAL". New York Times. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  16. ↑ "St. Francis Checks Seattle Five In Catholic Tourney Final, 93-79". New York Times. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  17. ↑ "St. Francis to Play Siena". New York Times. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  18. ↑ "Marquette's 1951-52 Team To Be Honored At Halftime Of Saturday's Basketball Game". Marquette University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  19. ↑ "LORETTO FIVE WINS, 66-52". New York Times. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  20. ↑ "IONA FIVE DEFEATS GANNON, 68 TO 52". New York Times. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  21. ↑ "MARQUETTE QUINTET DEFEATS IONA, 66-59". New York Times. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  22. ↑ "MARQUETTE BEATS ST. FRANCIS, 79-57". New York Times. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  23. ↑ "MARQUETTE HALTS LORETT0 FIVE, 76-64". New York Times. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
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