No. 3 Arizona 66, Drexel 62: Nick Johnson had 20 points as the Wildcats overcame a slow start to win the first NIT Season Tip-Off semifinal at Madison Square Garden.

Kaleb Tarczewski added 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for Arizona (6-0), which will play either No. 5 Duke or Alabama in the championship game at 6 p.m. ET Friday. Aaron Gordon had 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds and T.J. McConnell added 11 points.

Chris Fouch had a game-high 29 points to lead Drexel (3-2) and Frantz Massenat added 17 points. Drexel forced 14 turnovers and blocked seven shots but got outrebounded by the Wildcats 46-37.

Drexel scored the game's first nine points and Fouch's 3-pointer with about seven minutes left in the first half gave the Dragons' their biggest lead at 27-8. Johnson scored seven points during an 11-0 run to help the Wildcats, who went 1-of-4 from the floor with six turnovers in the game's first five minutes, pull within 29-20 by halftime.

Arizona opened the second half on a 13-2 run, taking its first lead on Brandon Ashley's layup with about 16 minutes left. Tarczewski's dunk with just over seven minutes put the Wildcats ahead for good and Johnson added a 3-pointer and a three-point play in transition.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Drexel will play the loser of the Duke-Alabama game at 3:30 p.m. Friday. ... Drexel played without F Kazembe Abif (concussion) and lost G Damion Lee (leg) midway through the second half. ... Arizona, which has won the NIT Season Tip-Off three times, improves to 21-2 at the tournament.