University of North Texas Athletics
North Texas Pushes Past Florida International 68-60
1/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MIAMI, Fla. (1/17/05) North Texas (9-5, 2-1) used a strong second-half performance to push past Florida International (7-10, 0-4) 68-60 Monday night at Pharmed Arena in a Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball game.
The Mean Green has now won six of its last eight games and moves into a three-way tie for second place in the SBC’s West Division. The Mean Green notched its fourth consecutive win against the Golden Panthers and leads the all-time series 5-1.
After making just 8-of-33 shots in the first half, North Texas came out and made four of its first seven shots in the second half and went on a 10-0 run to turn a one-point lead into a 35-24 advantage. North Texas built its lead to 51-38 with 7:19 left in the game and while FIU pulled within 55-49 at the 5:12 mark, couldn’t get any closer.
The Mean Green shot 45 percent in the second half, upping its field goal percentage for the entire game to .339. FIU hit 43 percent of its field goal attempts, but took 18 fewer shots than the Mean Green. North Texas also forced FIU into 26 turnovers and converted them into 21 points.
Leonard Hopkins scored in double-figures for the 18th consecutive game with a team-high 17 points and was joined in double figures by Calvin Watson with 13. Hopkins scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half and Watson poured in all of his 13 points in the final 20 minutes as well. Michael Sturns tied his season-high scoring output with nine and also dished out a game-high five assists.
FIU starters Ivan Almonte and Ismael N’Diaye combined to record 47 of FIU’s 60 points as NT’s bench outscored the Golden Panthers 28-4.
Although North Texas shot just 24 percent during the first half, it still took a 25-24 halftime lead thanks to a 6-0 run over the last 1:21. North Texas attempted 11 more field goals than FIU in the game’s first 20 minutes, but made one less than the Golden Panthers. NT overcame its low shooting percentage in the first half by forcing 15 FIU turnovers and blocking three shots.
North Texas, which completed a three-game road stretch to start Sun Belt play, returns to the Super Pit to face Arkansas-Little Rock at 7 p.m. Thursday. The game can be heard live on KWRD 100.7 FM in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
