Loyola and Bradley advance in NIT tournament

Loyola secured a close victory over San Jose State, winning 73-70 in the NIT on Wednesday night. Des Watson scored 24 points and grabbed five rebounds to help his team advance. Loyola led 42-35 at halftime, thanks in part to Watson's strong performance in the first half. Miles Rubin added 14 points for Loyola, while Jalen Quinn contributed nine. For San Jose State, Josh Uduje led with 18 points, and Donavan Yap chipped in 16 points. Loyola will face San Francisco in the second round on March 23. In another NIT game, Bradley defeated North Alabama 71-62. Darius Hannah was a key player off the bench, scoring 17 points and getting six rebounds. Bradley dominated the first half, leading 39-21 at halftime. Christian Davis scored 13 points and made six rebounds for Bradley. Donte Bacchus was the top scorer for North Alabama with 19 points. Bradley will take on George Mason in the next round on Saturday.