Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

Final Score: North Carolina 68 - Dayton 79

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Marcus Johnson scored 20 points and Dayton captured the title at the National Invitation Tournament for the first time since 1968 with a 79-68 triumph over North Carolina.

Paul Williams scored 16, while Chris Wright and Chris Johnson each had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Flyers (25-12), who won the event for a third time, also lifting the trophy in 1962.

"We struggled through the season but being in the NIT, we stayed positive and we have heart and character and it shows today that we are a good team and we just won a championship," Chris Johnson said.

This actually could have been the final NIT contest. The NCAA announced Thursday it is discussing expanding its postseason tournament from 65 teams to 96, which could essentially wipe out the NIT.

"Fitting that if it is the end, we'll be very proud to be the last champion in the postseason NIT, especially being -- you beat Cincinnati, Illinois, Ole Miss, North Carolina, that's a pretty good deal," Dayton coach Brian Gregory said.

Will Graves had 25 points to lead the Tar Heels (20-17), who were trying to become the first team to win NCAA and NIT crowns in consecutive seasons. Deon Thompson tallied 13 points and 10 boards, while Larry Drew II added 12 points in defeat.

"I've lived a charmed life in the past, and this has been a little tougher," UNC coach Roy Williams said. "I'm so proud of our guys for coming to play in this National Invitation Tournament and playing so well up until today and getting us to this point. We just didn't finish the job."

Chris Johnson suffered a hip pointer in the first half when he tumbled to the floor while driving to the basket. He battled through the injury and sank a big three-pointer late in the second half.

"He is a tough kid," Gregory said. "He's a coachable kid. You can coach him. When I say that, and as I said the other day, he doesn't mind hearing what he's not doing well, and he listens and then he goes out there and does it. He hit a couple of big shots for us."

North Carolina faced a 13-point deficit going into the final 20 minutes, but closed the gap to 46-44 on a dunk by Tyler Zeller inside 17 minutes left.

Each time the Tar Heels rallied, the Flyers had an answer as they never gave up the lead in the second half. Graves made two foul shots, but Marcus Johnson responded with a three-pointer for a 59-54 difference with nine minutes to go.

Graves sank a three-ball for a 67-63 difference inside four minutes left, but Chris Johnson connected from long distance and then added a dunk with under three minutes left for a nine-point cushion. That effectively sealed UNC's fate.

Dayton used a 12-2 run to end the half. Wright and Marcus Johnson jammed to cap nine consecutive points for the Flyers, but Zeller stopped the flurry with a layup. Paul Williams hit a three-pointer in the dying seconds to give Dayton a 45-32 edge at the break.