NIT Tournament 2023: Bracket and Schedule for Men's Semifinals

Four teams remain in the title hunt at the 2023 men's NIT.

Those semifinalists—North Texas, UAB, Utah Valley and Wisconsin—are headed to Sin City, as the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas will host the tournament's final two rounds.

After laying out the remaining tournament schedule, we'll take a closer look at the two semifinal matchups.

NIT Tournament Schedule

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MADISON, WISCONSIN - MARCH 19: Tyler Wahl #5 of the Wisconsin Badgers dribbles up court during the first half of the game against the Liberty Flames in the second round of the NIT Men's Basketball Tournament at Kohl Center on March 19, 2023 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Semifinals: Tuesday, March 28

North Texas vs. Wisconsin, 6 p.m. ET on ESPN

Utah Valley vs. UAB, 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Championship: Thursday, March 30

TBD vs. TBD, 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2

North Texas vs. Wisconsin

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ORLANDO, FL - NOVEMBER 25: North Texas Mean Green guard Tylor Perry (5) during the ESPN Events Invitational college basketball game between the North Texas Mean Green and Kansas Jayhawks on November 25, 2021 at the HP Field House in Orlando, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

As programs, North Texas and Wisconsin don't share many similarities.

The Mean Green, who hail from Conference USA, have made just four NCAA tournament appearances in program history. The Badgers, a traditional power in the Big Ten, have only missed the Big Dance twice since 1998.

As basketball teams, though, they have a Spiderman meme vibe between them. Their defense is better than their offense, and they both want to play in the mud. Wisconsin is 341st in tempo, and that actually makes it the fastest team in this tilt, as North Texas checks in at 363rd, per KenPom.

Wisconsin has four double-digit scorers, but North Texas might have this contest's most dynamic player in Tylor Perry. The senior guard averages 17.3 points, and he has upped that output to 22.3 points during the tournament so far.

Utah Valley vs. UAB

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ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - MARCH 15: Justin Harmon #0 of the Utah Valley Wolverines reacts after hitting a three-pointer against the New Mexico Lobos during the second half of the first round game in the 2023 National Invitation Tournament at The Pit on March 15, 2023 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Wolverines defeated the Lobos 83-69. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)

The Blazers and Wolverines don't go about things exactly the same way on the hardwood, but they often wind up in similar spots.

Utah Valley, which plays better defense than offense, averages 77.2 points and allows 68.2 points. UAB, which fares (slightly) better on offense than defense, averages 81.2 points and allows 70.5. That's a plus-9.0 point differential for the 28-win Wolverines and a plus-10.7 advantage for the 28-win Blazers.

Utah Valley has three double-digit scorers in the backcourt in Justin Harmon, Le'Tre Darthard and Trey Woodbury and a double-double machine in the middle in Aziz Bandaogo. Woodbury is also the team's top distributor and three-point threat, and Bandaogo is one of the best shot-blockers in the country.

UAB, meanwhile, counters with Jordan Walker. All due respect to Eric Gaines (who runs the offense), Trey Jamison (who runs the interior) and KJ Buffen (who does a little of everything), but opponents start and stop their game plan with Walker. His 22.5 points per game are the fourth-most in the nation, and he's liable to pop for 30-plus points any given night—a mark he's cleared seven different times this season.