With a clicking and balanced offense, the University of Wisconsin had seemingly figured out the stingiest scoring defense in college basketball and were a mere nine minutes away from playing for a championship.

But as too often the case for Wisconsin the well dried up, a familiar theme in a season with potential that was constantly handcuffed by its offense.

Wisconsin spent the last nine minutes of Tuesday’s NIT semifinals unable to score, missing shots, free throws, and committed turnovers over the final 12 possessions to allow North Texas to escape with a 56-54 victory at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas

Tyler Perry – the Conference USA Player of the Year – scored 16 points for the Mean Green (30-7), which closed the game on a 10-0 run over the final 6:12 to advance to Thursday’s championship game against conference foe UAB, an 88-86 overtime winner over Utah Valley in the day's second semifinal.

Four starters reached double figures for Wisconsin (20-15) but couldn’t find the bottom of the net in a closing stretch that saw them commit more turnovers (five) than field goals (one) in the final 13:10.

Wisconsin led by as many as 14 points, boosted in the first half by Chucky Hepburn’s 15 points on five three-pointers, the most he’s made in a game since February 8. The Mean Green led the nation in scoring defense (55.7 ppg), but the Badgers shot 48.4 percent and averaged 1.367 points per possession.

Things were much tougher in the second half. North Texas neutralized Hepburn by switching defenders which caused the sophomore to miss all four of his second-half shot attempts, resulting in UW's perimeter shots drying up (1-for-8 second half) and, soon after, the entire offense.

After a Connor Essegian layup extended the layup to 51-42, the Badgers committed four turnovers and made only one shot over the final 13:10, a string of 15 misses in 16 shot attempts.

What it means: Wisconsin had a chance to salvage its season with a postseason championship, but a season that will be remembered for missed opportunities added one final chapter.

Stat of the game: Wisconsin led for 36 minutes, 54 seconds but trailed the final 2:07.

Don’t overlook: Tyler Wahl had multiple chances to tie the game late, but the senior missed two free throws with 49 seconds left, had a shot blocked at the rim with nine seconds left, and was part of the discombobulated scrum and was charged with a turnover on the final possession, preventing UW from even attempting a shot to force overtime.

What’s next: The offseason for Wisconsin, which has a lot of work to do to see substantial growth from the players currently on its roster, remake its roster through the transfer portal, and grow from a season in which the Badgers played 21 games decided by five points or less (13-8).

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