University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Edges UTPA In Overtime, 87-81
12/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
EDINBURG, Tex. (12/17/03) North Texas’ Jerome Rogers hit two free throws with three seconds remaining in regulation to send the Mean Green into overtime with UT-Pan American, where it outscored the Broncs 10-4 for an 87-81 victory.
Down 77-75 with 12 seconds left in regulation, Rogers took an inbounds pass and worked his way down the court before finally being fouled on a drive to the basket with three seconds left. Despite not taking a single shot up to that point, the senior guard stepped up to the line and knocked down both opportunities.
The Broncs, which were able to keep the game close with outstanding free throw shooting, scored first in overtime off a pair of free throws to go up 79-77 at the 3:07 mark. However, Michael DeGrate hit a three-pointer with 2:24 remaining that put the Mean Green up 80-79 and gave it the lead for good. North Texas, which shot just 58 percent from the charity stripe for the game, went 7-for-10 from the line the rest of the way to secure the victory.
Playing in his second game, senior forward Shawnson Johnson picked up his first double-double of the season to lead the Mean Green. The transfer scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked four shots. Also scoring in double figures for NT were Leonard Hopkins with 16 points and DeGrate with 13.
While the Mean Green struggled from the line, it hit 53 percent of its shots from the field. The Broncs, on the other hand, had a big night from the line and struggled shooting the ball from the field. UTPA hit 36-of-44 free throws for an .818 percentage, while hitting just 33 percent of its shots from the floor. The Broncs edged the Mean Green on the boards 39-38.
North Texas picked up its first road victory of the season and has now won three of its last four games to bring its record to 4-3. UTPA, led by guard Sergio Sanchez with 23 points, fell to 3-6 on the year.
The Mean Green raced out to a12-7 lead within the first five minutes of the game, but the Broncs chipped away at the lead until eventually claiming a 28-27 advantage with 6:05 remaining in the first half. They built their lead to as much as eight before going into the locker room ahead 43-37 at the break.
NT went on a 12-2 run to begin the second half and claim a 49-45 lead. The Mean Green went up 61-53 off a Hopkins layup with 7:58 left in regulation for its largest lead of the game. UTPA once again clawed its way back into the contest and took its first lead, 72-71, since early in the half with 2:37 remaining. The Broncs held a 75-71 advantage at the 1:49 mark, but North Texas scored the next four points to force extra play.
The Mean Green will play the second of four consecutive road games Saturday against St. Bonaventure at 3 p.m. (CST).
