Wisconsin vs. North Texas basketball NIT Final Four odds: spread, money line and over/under point total
The Wisconsin men's basketball team heads to Las Vegas looking to bring home a championship in the National Invitation Tournament.
But in order to first get to the NIT title game, the Badgers, who have been getting clutch performances in the tournament throughout their lineup, will have to find a way to score against a hot North Texas team that boasts the country's top-ranked defense. The Badgers play the Mean Green at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
So, does that give you confidence to put your chips in on Greg Gard's team to win its fourth straight game, which would tie its second-longest winning streak of the season and best since it won six straight from Dec. 3-Jan. 3?
Here's what you need to know about the current odds for the NIT semifinal game. All odds below are according to Tipico Sports, the exclusive sports betting provider for USA Today Sports.
What is the point spread for the Wisconsin vs. North Texas NIT game?
North Texas (29-7) is a 1.5-point favorite over Wisconsin (20-14).
Wisconsin, which like North Texas defeated its region's top-ranked team on the road to get to the NIT Final Four, has covered the point spread in all three of its games in the tournament. It was the home favorite against Bradley and Liberty and then the Badgers were small underdogs on the road against Oregon.
North Texas failed to cover as a 17.5-point favorite in its first-round game against Alcorn State, though it still won by 16. The Mean Green then easily covered against Sam Houston in the next round, winning by 20 points. North Texas entered the game against Oklahoma State as 4.5-point underdogs before defeating the top-ranked Cowboys, 65-59.
What are each team's records in neutral-site games?
North Texas is 5-2 in neutral site games this season, while Wisconsin is 3-2. The game is being played at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
What is the money line for Wisconsin vs. North Texas?
North Texas is -130 (a $125 bet would net you $100). Wisconsin is +100 (a $100 bet gets you $105).
What is the over/under point total for Wisconsin vs. North Texas?
The over/under point total is 114.5, which signals a low-scoring affair. That's not surprising given where the teams rank defensively.
The two teams are nearly even in scoring average with Wisconsin at 65.6 and North Texas 64.7.
The Badgers allow 63.8 points per game, which is good enough for 30th in the country (363 teams). Wisconsin has held two of their NIT opponents below that mark (Bradley 62 points and Oregon 58).
However, North Texas is even better on the defensive end, allowing just 55.7 points per game. That is the No. 1 mark in all of college basketball. The Mean Green has allowed 54, 55 and 59 points in their three NIT games. North Texas held Oklahoma State to 17 first-half points in the quarterfinal game and the 59 points were almost 10 points below its season average.
What else should Wisconsin fans know about North Texas?
North Texas is one of two teams in the NIT Final Four from Conference USA. The other is UAB, which is playing Utah Valley out of the Western Athletic Conference in the other semifinal. The conference champion out of Conference USA, Florida Atlantic, meanwhile is in the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament, posting upset after upset to shock and eliminate teams in power conferences.
North Texas is getting familiar in facing Big Ten teams in postseason play. The 13th-seeded Mean Green toppled No. 4 Purdue in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2021.
North Texas lost to UAB in this season's conference tournament in the semifinal round as the No. 2 seed. But now behind senior guard Tylor Perry (21.7 points per game), the Mean Green is riding high to Vegas.
More:How to watch Wisconsin vs. North Texas in NIT semifinal, time, livestream and radio
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin vs North Texas NIT odds: spread, money line, point total
