SLU In, SMS Out of NIT Field

The SMS and SLU men’s basketball teams have similar records, but their plans this month are vastly different. The Bears finished the season with a 17-13 record after losing to Creighton in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. That record wasn’t enough to get them invited to the NIT. The Billikens, with a mark of 16-13 and a trip to the C-USA semis, got them in. On November 24, SMS topped SLU 72-64 at the Savvis Center. But Saint Louis finished stronger than SMS winning eight of their last nine games. They’ll face Minnesota at home Wednesday night.