University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Drop 75-60 Decision At Tennessee Tech
12/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (12/21/02) The North Texas men’s basketball team (4-4) was unable to overcome a 10-0 Tennessee Tech (5-4) run late in the first half that propelled the Golden Eagles to a 75-60 victory Saturday at the Eblen Center.
Tennessee Tech extended its winning streak at the Eblen Center to 33 games, the nation’s second longest home winning streak.
Although Tennessee Tech took a nine-point advantage into the break, it wasn’t until the last four minutes of the first half that it was able to put some separation between itself and North Texas. The game’s opening 16 minutes were a back-and-forth battle that saw five ties and seven lead changes, but the Golden Eagles scored the first half’s final 10 points to turn a 25-26 deficit into a 35-26 halftime lead.
The Mean Green got within five points of the Tennessee Tech lead five times in the second half and actually pulled within two with 10:43 remaining in the game, but got no closer. Down 45-47 at that point, North Texas gave up a 9-2 run that put the Golden Eagles back on top by nine points with 8:41 remaining in the game.
The Golden Eagles hurt North Texas on the boards all night, outrebounding the Mean Green 44-29. Tennessee Tech grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, just 10 shy of North Texas’ 29 total boards.
Despite picking up two fouls in the first nine minutes of the game and missing the rest of the first half, Chris Davis led North Texas with a team-high 17 points and six rebounds. Also scoring in double figures for the Mean Green was Leonard Hopkins with 11 points and Jerome Rogers with 10.
The Golden Eagles had four players score in double figures, led by Antwyon Jones’ 14. Jones and Damien Kinloch both finished the game with a double-double.
North Texas will close a two-game road swing with an 8 p.m. (CST) contest against Colorado on Monday, Dec. 23.
