NATIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
SEMIFINALS - WISCONSIN vs NORTH TEXAS
Tuesday | 6 p.m. CT | ESPN | Las Vegas, Nev.
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@BadgerMBB
MADISON, Wis. – Stringing together three-straight wins, Wisconsin will make its first appearance in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) semifinals when it faces North Texas in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Tip is set for 6 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.
Playing at Orleans Arena, if the Badgers win on Tuesday they would take on either UAB or Utah Valley in the championship on Thursday.
Before Tuesday's tip, here is the Starting Five:
1. NIT RECAP: Wisconsin earned a 61-58 win over Oregon on Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament. Trailing 54-48 with 3:28 left, the Badgers ended the game on a 13-4 run to rally back and win.
Max Klesmit led the Badgers scoring 18 points, going 5-for-11 from the field, and added six free throws.
Chucky Hepburn scored 12 points, while
Steven Crowl and
Connor Essegian each added nine points. Wisconsin advanced to the quarterfinals by earning a second-round, 75-71 win over Liberty after opening the tournament with an 81-62 first-round win over Bradley.
2. BADGERS IN VEGAS: The 2023 NIT will conclude at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Wisconsin went 1-1 in that venue during the 2012 Las Vegas Invitational, losing to Creighton, 84-74, and topping Arkansas, 77-70. Last season, Wisconsin won the 2021 Maui Invitational at the Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas after the tournament was moved due to COVID-19. UW knocked off Texas A&M, No. 12 Houston and Saint Mary's on its way to the title.
3. BATTLE TESTED: Wisconsin has played in 20 games this season decided by five points or fewer (13-7 record in those games), which is the most in division one this season. The Badgers have also played a school record six overtime games (3-3 record). According to ESPN, the Badgers played the 11th-toughest schedule in the NCAA this season.
4. SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS: Tuesday's game will be the first all-time meeting between Wisconsin and North Texas. The Eagles are coached by Grant McCasland, and led by two seniors in Tylor Perry and Kai Huntsberry. McCasland is averaging 17.3 points per game and 3.4 rebounds, while Huntsberry is averaging 12.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per contest.
5. NIT: The Badgers are making their fifth all-time appearance in the NIT, owning an overall record of 6-4 in the event. All of the other 13 Big Ten teams have participated in the NIT more recently than UW's last appearance in 1996. Penn State was the most recent Big Ten school to win the tournament in 2018, beating Utah, 82-66.
