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The North Texas basketball team booked a spot in the NIT after winning 24 games and finishing second in the AAC standings. After three straight postseason victories, their season continues.
The Mean Green’s most recent contest came with a minor hiccup. Luckily, it wouldn’t cause the campaign to come to an end.
North Texas entered the NIT bracket as a two-seed. That gave them an opportunity to host their first two games. Unlike the NCAA Tournament, games are held on campus sites of the more highly ranked seeds up through the semifinals. Then, teams move onto Indianapolis.
The Mean Green played, and beat, both Furman and Arkansas State in their home arena in Denton, TX. When No. 1 seed SMU went down in regional play, it gave them an opportunity to again host Oklahoma State in Game 3 as opposed to having to travel to Dallas to face the Mustangs.
A scheduling conflict interfered. Despite being the better seed, they had to hit the road to Stillwater.
North Texas athletic department officials knew from the outset that the school could run into scheduling conflicts when it came to its basketball team’s journey in the National Invitation Tournament.
That conflict with a faculty lunch and a dance team competition came into play on Sunday when the Mean Green grabbed a spot in the quarterfinals.
-Denton Record-Chronicle
A faculty luncheon and cheer competition had already been scheduled at the venue. North Texas had to travel 250 miles up the road to Oklahoma.
Despite losing out on the home court advantage, the Mean Green advanced to the NIT semifinals. They were able to beat the Cowboys at their place, 61-59.
North Texas is now one game away from playing for a championship. They’ll have to do so knowing that head coach Ross Hodge has already accepted a new job.
The team will do its best to end his tenure on a high note. The Mean Green will face the winner of UC Irvine and UAB with a chance to move to the championship on the line.