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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The University of North Texas men's basketball team |
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brought the 2022-2023 season to a triumphant close by winning the |
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National Invitation Tournament; and |
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WHEREAS, Suffering just seven losses all season, UNT went |
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16-4 against its league rivals but lost in the semifinals of the |
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Conference USA tournament to the University of Alabama at |
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Birmingham; the Mean Green rebounded for an easy 69-53 victory over |
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Alcorn State University to open the NIT and followed that up with |
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impressive wins against Sam Houston State and Oklahoma State |
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Universities; in the semifinals, the team defeated the University |
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of Wisconsin 56-54, holding the Badgers scoreless in the final nine |
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minutes of regulation to advance to the championship contest; and |
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WHEREAS, On March 30 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, |
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the Mean Green players took the floor in a rematch against the |
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University of Alabama at Birmingham, a team they had met twice in |
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the regular season and once in the conference tournament; North |
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Texas opened with a 10-2 run and led by 10 heading into the break; |
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UAB staged a second half comeback, and UNT found itself trailing |
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53-52; with the title on the line, the Mean Green refused to give in |
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and outscored UAB 16-8 over the final six minutes to take home the |
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crown; the team cut down the nets in celebration of the school's |
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first NIT championship and ended the year with a school record 31 |
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wins; and |
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WHEREAS, UNT was led by Tylor Perry, the NIT Most Outstanding |
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Player, who scored more than 20 points in four of the team's five |
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games, and he was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Kai |
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Huntsberry; the Mean Green also received valuable contributions |
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throughout the year from the other members of the roster: Rasheed |
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Browne, Aaron Scott, Christian Moore, Tyree Eady, Arsh Mattu, |
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Moulaye Sissoko, Rubin Jones, Grayson Allo, Chris Morgan, Matthew |
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Stone, Jayden Martinez, and Abou Ousmane; these dedicated |
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student-athletes were guided by head coach Grant McCasland, |
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associate head coach Ross Hodge, and assistant coaches Matt Braeuer |
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and Achoki Moikobu, with additional support from director of |
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basketball operations Andre Shaw and the entire men's basketball |
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staff; and |
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WHEREAS, The talented and hardworking members of the |
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University of North Texas men's basketball team have realized an |
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outstanding accomplishment by capturing the NIT title, and their |
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achievements are a source of great pride for the university's |
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students, alumni, and fans; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the University of North Texas men's |
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basketball team on winning the 2023 National Invitation Tournament |
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and extend to the team's players, coaches, and staff sincere best |
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wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Mean Green as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |