Stanford, Santa Clara win NIT opening games convincingly

The Stanford and Santa Clara men's basketball teams started their runs in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) with strong wins on Tuesday night. Stanford defeated CSU Northridge 87-70, while Santa Clara triumphed over UC Riverside with a score of 101-62. Maxime Raynaud led Stanford with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks. This win marked Stanford's first postseason game since 2018. They will face Kent State in the next round on Thursday. Meanwhile, Oziyah Sellers contributed 20 points, and Stanford improved its NIT record to 20-6 overall. Santa Clara also showed off their shooting skills, making 16 of 27 three-pointers. Tyeree Bryan scored 17 points, while Jake Ensminger added 12. The Broncos will wait to play the winner of the Alabama vs. Saint Joseph’s game in the next round. Tonight, San Jose State and USF will play their first-round games. San Jose State hosts Loyola Chicago at 8 p.m. This will be the Spartans' first time hosting a postseason game. USF takes on Utah Valley at the same time, and they are a No. 1 seed in the NIT. In women's action, the Stanford women will play Portland in the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBIT) on Thursday. They have never lost in their past meetings against the Pilots. Also on Thursday, Saint Mary's women will start their WNIT run against Texas Southern.