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The 2025 NIT bracket is down to the semifinals and the first of the two matchups on Tuesday will feature the North Texas Mean Green taking on the UC Irvine Anteaters. North Texas is 27-8 on the season and had to grind out wins over Furman, Arkansas State and Oklahoma State on the way to the semis. Meanwhile, UC Irvine is 31-6 with wins over North Colorado, Jacksonville State and UAB on its march to the 2025 NIT semifinals. This will be the first time these programs have met in 25 years, as the Mean Green spent a four-year stint in the Big West with the Anteaters from 1996-97 through 1999-2000.

Tipoff from historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Mean Green are 1.5-point favorites in the latest North Texas vs. UC Irvine odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 128.5. Before making any UC Irvine vs. North Texas picks, check out the college basketball predictions from SportsLine expert Bruce Marshall.

Marshall enters this week on a 101-73-1 roll (+1984) over his last 175 college basketball picks. Anybody who's followed his picks could be way up.

Now, he has set his sights on North Texas vs. UC Irvine and just locked in his NIT semifinal predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the college basketball odds and lines for UC Irvine vs. North Texas:

  • North Texas vs. UC Irvine spread: North Texas -1.5
  • North Texas vs. UC Irvine over/under: 128.5 points                                    
  • North Texas vs. UC Irvine money line: North Texas -130, UC Irvine +108
  • NT: The Under has hit in four of the last six North Texas games
  • UCI: UC Irvine has covered the spread in five of its last seven games
  • North Texas vs. UC Irvine picks: See who to back at SportsLine

What you need to know about North Texas

The Mean Green will have a coaching transition to make this offseason after Ross Hodge was hired to take over at West Virginia, but Hodge has decided to stick it out for the remainder of this NIT run at North Texas. A disciple of current Texas Tech and former North Texas head coach Grant McCasland, it's no surprise that the Mean Green are living up to their nickname defensively under Hodge.

North Texas ranks third in the nation in scoring defense (59.9 ppg) and ranked 42nd in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom, the best mark in the AAC. Atin Wright is averaging 14.9 points per game this year and shooting 40.1% from the 3-point line and Jasper Floyd has been making plays at both ends during the NIT. He's averaging 15.7 points, 5.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds during this tournament. See which team to pick here.

What you need to know about UC Irvine 

Meanwhile, the Anteaters are also one of the most disciplined teams in the nation. In Russ Turner's 15th season at the helm, UC Irvine ranks 38th in points allowed (66.5 ppg), 19th in adjusted defensive efficiency and 10th in field-goal percentage allowed (39.6%). 

The Anteaters have already tied a program record with 31 wins (set under Turner in 2019 when they upset Kansas State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament) and set a new record with a win on Tuesday. UC Irvine also has four players averaging more than 12 points per game this season, including 7-foot German center Bent Leuchten (15.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game). See which team to pick here.

How to make North Texas vs. UC Irvine picks

Marshall has evaluated the UC Irvine vs. North Texas matchup and is leaning Under on the total. He's also found a critical X-factor that has him jumping on one side of the spread. You can see who it is at SportsLine.

So who wins UC Irvine vs. North Texas, and what critical X-factor do you need to know about? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the North Texas vs. UC Irvine spread to jump on, all from the expert who is on a 101-73-1 roll on his college basketball picks, and find out.