North Texas reaches NIT finals, shuts down Wisconsin 56-54
LAS VEGAS (AP) Tylor Perry scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half, Rubin Jones scored all 12 of his after halftime and North Texas closed on a 10-0 run to beat Wisconsin 56-54 on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the NIT.
North Texas (30-7) advances to the program's first NIT championship game on Thursday. Conference USA is now 16-1 this postseason.
North Texas, which trailed 41-29 at halftime, took its first lead of the game at 56-54 with 2:08 remaining on Moulaye Sissoko’s shot in the lane to cap a 10-0 run.
Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl missed two free throws with 49.1 seconds left and North Texas worked the clock down before Perry had it poked away. Wahl had a shot blocked at the rim, but Wisconsin secured the loose ball and called a timeout with 5.8 left. Wisconsin got it inside to Wahl but Sissoko knocked it away and dove on the ball to end it.
The Mean Green, the nation's leader in scoring defense at 55.7 points per game, held Wisconsin without a point for the final 9:07 of the game. The Badgers made just one of their last 16 shots - with 10 straight misses.
Kai Huntsberry scored four of his 12 points in the game-closing run for North Texas, which extended its program record for wins this season.
Chucky Hepburn scored all 15 of his points in the first half for Wisconsin (20-15), which was making its first appearance in the NIT semifinals.
Wisconsin dropped to 13-8 this season in games decided by five points or fewer.
NEW VENUE
The semifinals and final are being played at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas after Madison Square Garden in New York hosted every year but two since 1938, with the 2020 tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 event held in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The 2024 semifinals and final will be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Steven Crowl vs. Moulaye Sissoko (Badgers gains possession) | ||
| 19:37 |  | +3 | Chucky Hepburn makes three point jump shot (Steven Crowl assists) | 3-0 |
| 19:20 | | Kai Huntsberry misses two point floating jump shot | ||
| 19:18 | | Steven Crowl defensive rebound | ||
| 19:00 | | +2 | Max Klesmit makes two point jump shot | 5-0 |
| 18:48 | | Tylor Perry misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:46 | | Tyler Wahl defensive rebound | ||
| 18:25 | | Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:23 | | Rubin Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 18:15 | | +3 | Tylor Perry makes three point jump shot (Kai Huntsberry assists) | 5-3 |
| 18:00 | | +2 | Connor Essegian makes two point jump shot | 7-3 |
| 17:43 | | Tylor Perry misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:41 | | Steven Crowl defensive rebound | ||
| 17:27 | | +3 | Chucky Hepburn makes three point jump shot (Max Klesmit assists) | 10-3 |
| 17:03 | | +2 | Moulaye Sissoko makes two point layup (Kai Huntsberry assists) | 10-5 |
| 16:40 | | Connor Essegian turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 16:22 | | +3 | Tylor Perry makes three point jump shot (Rubin Jones assists) | 10-8 |
| 16:06 | | Aaron Scott shooting foul (Tyler Wahl draws the foul) | ||
| 16:06 | | +1 | Tyler Wahl makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 11-8 |
| 16:06 | | Tyler Wahl misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 16:06 | | Matthew Stone defensive rebound | ||
| 15:41 | | Jayden Martinez misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:39 | | Steven Crowl defensive rebound | ||
| 15:27 | | +3 | Connor Essegian makes three point stepback jump shot (Tyler Wahl assists) | 14-8 |
| 14:59 | | Connor Essegian personal foul (Matthew Stone draws the foul) | ||
| 14:59 | | TV timeout | ||
| 14:48 | | Max Klesmit shooting foul (Jayden Martinez draws the foul) | ||
| 14:48 | | +1 | Jayden Martinez makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 14-9 |
| 14:48 | | Jayden Martinez misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 14:48 | | Carter Gilmore defensive rebound | ||
| 14:23 | | Chucky Hepburn misses two point layup | ||
| 14:22 | | Mean Green defensive rebound | ||
| 13:53 | | Jayden Martinez misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:51 | | Jordan Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 13:39 | | +2 | Tyler Wahl makes two point driving layup | 16-9 |
| 13:08 | | Kai Huntsberry misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:06 | | Jordan Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 12:54 | | Tyler Wahl misses two point stepback jump shot | ||
| 12:52 | | Matthew Stone defensive rebound | ||
| 12:27 | | Rubin Jones turnover (lost ball) (Chucky Hepburn steals) | ||
| 12:20 | | Chucky Hepburn turnover (bad pass) (Kai Huntsberry steals) | ||
| 12:12 | | +2 | Kai Huntsberry makes two point layup | 16-11 |
| 11:59 | | +2 | Tyler Wahl makes two point layup (Jordan Davis assists) | 18-11 |
| 11:59 | | Matthew Stone shooting foul (Tyler Wahl draws the foul) | ||
| 11:59 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:59 | | +1 | Tyler Wahl makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 19-11 |
| 11:45 | | +3 | Tylor Perry makes three point jump shot | 19-14 |
| 11:30 | | Kai Huntsberry shooting foul (Connor Essegian draws the foul) | ||
| 11:30 | | +1 | Connor Essegian makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-14 |
| 11:30 | | +1 | Connor Essegian makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-14 |
| 11:10 | | +2 | Kai Huntsberry makes two point jump shot | 21-16 |
| 10:55 | | Connor Essegian misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:53 | | Aaron Scott defensive rebound | ||
| 10:44 | | Connor Essegian personal foul (Kai Huntsberry draws the foul) | ||
| 10:43 | | Moulaye Sissoko offensive foul (Kamari McGee draws the foul) | ||
| 10:43 | | Moulaye Sissoko turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 10:27 | | +3 | Chucky Hepburn makes three point stepback jump shot (Kamari McGee assists) | 24-16 |
| 9:59 | | +3 | Matthew Stone makes three point jump shot (Kai Huntsberry assists) | 24-19 |
| 9:40 | | Max Klesmit misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:38 | | Tyler Wahl offensive rebound | ||
| 9:35 | | +2 | Tyler Wahl makes two point layup | 26-19 |
| 9:18 | | Tylor Perry misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:16 | | Max Klesmit defensive rebound | ||
| 9:07 | | Kamari McGee misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:05 | | Matthew Stone defensive rebound | ||
| 8:44 | | +2 | Kai Huntsberry makes two point pullup jump shot | 26-21 |
| 8:26 | | Kamari McGee misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:24 | | Steven Crowl offensive rebound | ||
| 8:19 | | +3 | Chucky Hepburn makes three point jump shot (Steven Crowl assists) | 29-21 |
| 8:19 | | Aaron Scott personal foul | ||
| 8:17 | | +3 | Chucky Hepburn makes three point jump shot (Tyler Wahl assists) | 32-21 |
| 8:13 | | Mean Green 30 second timeout | ||
| 8:13 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:49 | | Moulaye Sissoko misses two point hook shot | ||
| 7:47 | | Badgers defensive rebound | ||
| 7:33 | | Steven Crowl misses two point hook shot | ||
| 7:31 | | Matthew Stone defensive rebound | ||
| 7:11 | | Chucky Hepburn shooting foul (Moulaye Sissoko draws the foul) | ||
| 7:11 | | +1 | Moulaye Sissoko makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 32-22 |
| 7:11 | | Moulaye Sissoko misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 7:11 | | Jordan Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 6:53 | | +2 | Tyler Wahl makes two point alley-oop layup (Chucky Hepburn assists) | 34-22 |
| 6:19 | | Mean Green turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 5:56 | | +2 | Steven Crowl makes two point turnaround bank hook shot | 36-22 |
| 5:40 | | +2 | Kai Huntsberry makes two point pullup jump shot | 36-24 |
| 5:31 | | +2 | Steven Crowl makes two point layup (Chucky Hepburn assists) | 38-24 |
| 5:13 | | Max Klesmit shooting foul (Tylor Perry draws the foul) | ||
| 5:13 | | +1 | Tylor Perry makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 38-25 |
| 5:13 | | +1 | Tylor Perry makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 38-26 |
| 5:13 | | +1 | Tylor Perry makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 38-27 |
| 4:52 | | Chucky Hepburn turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 4:29 | | Jayden Martinez misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:27 | | Jordan Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 4:03 | | Steven Crowl misses two point hook shot | ||
| 4:01 | | Jayden Martinez defensive rebound | ||
| 3:52 | | Jayden Martinez misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:50 | | Kai Huntsberry offensive rebound | ||
| 3:28 | | +2 | Tylor Perry makes two point stepback jump shot | 38-29 |
| 3:09 | | Chucky Hepburn misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:05 | | Mean Green defensive rebound | ||
| 3:05 | | TV timeout | ||
| 2:53 | | Jump ball. Moulaye Sissoko vs. Isaac Lindsey (Mean Green gains possession) | ||
| 2:48 | | Tylor Perry offensive foul (Kamari McGee draws the foul) | ||
| 2:48 | | Tylor Perry turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 2:38 | | Kamari McGee misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:36 | | Mean Green defensive rebound | ||
| 2:35 | | Isaac Lindsey personal foul | ||
| 2:14 | | Kai Huntsberry misses two point jump shot | ||
| 2:12 | | Carter Gilmore defensive rebound | ||
| 1:55 | | +3 | Isaac Lindsey makes three point stepback jump shot | 41-29 |
| 1:21 | | Tylor Perry misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 1:19 | | Mean Green offensive rebound | ||
| 1:19 | | Mean Green turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 0:51 | | Isaac Lindsey misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:49 | | Mean Green defensive rebound | ||
| 0:49 | | Carter Gilmore personal foul (Matthew Stone draws the foul) | ||
| 0:49 | | Matthew Stone misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 0:49 | | Isaac Lindsey defensive rebound | ||
| 0:37 | | Kamari McGee misses two point jump shot | ||
| 0:35 | | Steven Crowl offensive rebound | ||
| 0:19 | | Chucky Hepburn misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:17 | | Tyler Wahl offensive rebound | ||
| 0:14 | | Badgers 30 second timeout | ||
| 0:06 | | Chucky Hepburn misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:04 | | Isaac Lindsey offensive rebound | ||
| 0:02 | | Isaac Lindsey misses two point layup | ||
| 0:00 | | Mean Green defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:47 | | Aaron Scott blocks Max Klesmit's two point layup | ||
| 19:45 | | Tylor Perry defensive rebound | ||
| 19:34 | | Kai Huntsberry turnover (bad pass) (Tyler Wahl steals) | ||
| 19:26 | | Chucky Hepburn turnover (bad pass) (Tylor Perry steals) | ||
| 19:20 | | +2 | Tylor Perry makes two point layup (Kai Huntsberry assists) | 41-31 |
| 18:48 | | +2 | Steven Crowl makes two point hook shot | 43-31 |
| 18:26 | | Rubin Jones misses two point jump shot | ||
| 18:24 | | Rubin Jones offensive rebound | ||
| 18:21 | | +2 | Rubin Jones makes two point layup | 43-33 |
| 17:56 | | +2 | Tyler Wahl makes two point layup | 45-33 |
| 17:41 | | +3 | Rubin Jones makes three point jump shot (Kai Huntsberry assists) | 45-36 |
| 17:20 | | Steven Crowl misses two point hook shot | ||
| 17:18 | | Moulaye Sissoko defensive rebound | ||
| 17:10 | | Kai Huntsberry misses two point layup | ||
| 17:08 | | Steven Crowl defensive rebound | ||
| 16:58 |