WVU Mountaineers - 2007 NIT Champs!

NEW YORK -- West Virginia has a championship to help lessen the disappointment of missing the NCAA Tournament.

Frank Young and the Mountaineers shot past Clemson to their first NIT title in 65 years.

Young scored 24 points, including six 3-pointers, and De'Sean Butler added 20 points to help West Virginia beat Clemson 78-73 in the National Invitation Tournament final Thursday night.

The Mountaineers thought they had a good case to receive an NCAA bid, with a 9-7 mark in the tough Big East and a victory over UCLA. But they didn't make the cut.

"It's been a lot of fun to play in this tournament and all the emotions just built up as it went along," Young said. "Of course we wanted to be in the NCAA Tournament, but to win this tournament, all the joy is still there. We're still happy about finishing our season with a win"

Young averaged over 22 points in the five games of the NIT and was named the tournament's most outstanding player.