North Texas outlasts Wisconsin in a thrilling NIT Final Four showdown
In a stunning upset, North Texas Mean Green defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 56-54 to advance to their first-ever championship game in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). This game was played at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, with no fans in attendance due to COVID-19 restrictions. North Texas rallied back from a 41-29 deficit at halftime and held Wisconsin scoreless for the last 9:07 of the game to secure their victory.
North Texas’ strong second-half performance secures win
Led by Tylor Perry’s 16 points and Rubin Jones’ clutch performance in the second half, North Texas pulled off an impressive comeback win over Wisconsin. Perry scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half while Jones scored all 12 of his points after halftime, including two crucial free throws that helped seal the win.
Wisconsin had a strong start, leading by as many as 12 points in the first half, but their offensive struggles in the second half cost them the game. Chucky Hepburn scored 15 points for Wisconsin, with five consecutive three-pointers in the first half, but was held scoreless in the second half along with the rest of his team.
North Texas advances to NIT championship game for the first time
With this thrilling win over Wisconsin, North Texas advanced to their first-ever championship game in the NIT. The Mean Green will face either Mississippi State or Louisiana Tech on Thursday night at Orleans Arena. They have been playing solid basketball throughout this tournament and will look to continue their impressive run against their upcoming opponent.
Wisconsin’s season ends with crushing defeat
This loss officially ended Wisconsin’s season, adding another disappointment after a frustratingly inconsistent year. Despite the Badgers taking a 12-point lead in the first half, their inability to score in the second half proved to be their downfall. They shot only 24% from the field in the second half and had no answer for North Texas’ stellar defense. Wisconsin will head into the offseason with questions to address and lessons to learn from this game.
North Texas’ road to NIT championship game
North Texas’ journey to the NIT championship game has been nothing short of remarkable. After barely earning a spot in the tournament, they have upset top-seeded teams in each round, including West Virginia, Mississippi State, and now Wisconsin. Their strong defensive play and clutch moments on offense have propelled them to this historic moment in their program’s history.
CBS Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports announce exclusive coverage of 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship
In other basketball news, CBS Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports announced that they would be providing exclusive coverage of the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship in Houston, Texas. The participating teams include Florida Atlantic, Miami, San Diego State, and UConn – with UConn having won four titles before.
Top announcers set to cover 2023 NCAA Final Four games
Jim Nantz will serve as lead announcer for the eighth consecutive tournament with Grant Hill and Bill Raftery as analysts and Tracy Wolfson as reporter. Gene Steratore will serve as rules analyst for the fourth straight year.
Extensive coverage of Final Four games
The coverage will include exclusive ingame coach interviews and a variety of game cameras to provide comprehensive analysis of each match-up. The pregame show, “At the Final Four presented by Nissan,” will be hosted by Greg Gumbel alongside analysts Seth Davis, Candace Parker, and Jay Wright.
Final Four show set to provide exclusive commentary
The Final Four Show will feature Ernie Johnson alongside Charles Barkley, Clark Kellogg, and Kenny Smith as analysts. In addition, there will be additional commentary from Gumbel, Davis, Parker, and Wright throughout the show.
Capital One Championship Central pregame coverage
The Men’s National Championship will be televised on Monday, April 3, with extensive pregame coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. Fans can tune in to “Capital One Championship Central” to get their fix of pregame analysis before the 9:20 p.m. tipoff.
Conclusion
As the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship approaches, basketball fans are gearing up for another exciting tournament. North Texas’ improbable run continues as they face off against either Mississippi State or Louisiana Tech in the NIT championship game. Meanwhile, CBS Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports are preparing for their extensive coverage of the upcoming NCAA Final Four games in Houston, with some of the best announcers in the business ready to provide exclusive commentary and insight into each game.
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