Stanford: 2015 National Invitation Tournament Champions

NEW YORK -- With the season -- and his record-breaking career -- winding down, Chasson Randle found a way to deliver one last time and help bring another NIT title home to Stanford.

Randle put Stanford ahead with two free throws after drawing a controversial shooting foul with 3.4 seconds remaining in overtime, and the Cardinal held on for a 66-64 win over Miami on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

It was the third NIT title for Stanford and second since 2012.

"Our guys just refused to lose," coach Johnny Dawkins said. "I think that's what you saw down the stretch of the game, the last few minutes and in overtime, just a will to win."

Randle said, "It's just a great feeling, just to be able to end your season and your career with a win."

With Stanford trailing 64-63 in the final seconds of overtime, Randle was heavily defended and seemingly out of answers when he took an off-balance shot and appeared to lean into Miami's Davon Reed. Randle was awarded the free throws, and he calmly buried both to give the Cardinal its second NIT championship in four years.

"We were going to put the ball in Chasson's hands, and he was going to decide it for us," Dawkins said.

Randle, the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after he finished with 25 points in the championship game, was difficult to pin down even after the dramatic contest ended.

Asked if he initiated contact, he replied, "The ref called it. I can't do anything about it."

After a Miami turnover, Anthony Brown was fouled and made one free throw to make it 66-64, but the Hurricanes had one more chance. But Sheldon McClellan's off-balance jumper from the right corner fell short and Stanford (24-13) began to celebrate.

Dawkins, in his seventh year, acknowledged that the program's aspirations extend well behind the NIT, college basketball's consolation prize. "We are a program that wants to compete in the NCAA and wants to compete for championships," he said. "Unfortunately, that has not happened as much as we would like.

"But our last four years, we've won two NIT championships and we have gone to the Sweet 16. I don't think that's horrible. I think we have shown we can be competitive in either tournament."

Randle, who ended his career with a Stanford-record 2,375 points, scored Stanford's final four points in regulation, which ended at 59-59. With fans for both teams rising to their feet, he twice slashed down the right side to bank home scores.

The Hurricanes forced overtime on McClellan's driving score with 16.8 seconds to play.