University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Takes Down Newman 77-58 In Exhibition Opener
11/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score
DENTON, Texas (11/11/09) - Junior transfer Richard Thomas scored a team and game-high 17 points and was one of four players in double-digits to help lead the Mean Green to a 77-58 exhibition victory over the Newman Jets Wednesday evening at The Super Pit.
Along with Thomas North Texas received double-digit scoring performances from Eric Tramiel (11 points), Josh White (10 points) and Shannon Shorter (10 points).
"I think we settled down in the second half, worked the ball inside and really got our game going well," said North Texas head coach Johnny Jones. "I wanted to see how our newcomers would play when the lights came on, and I thought everyone rose to the occasion."
The Mean Green dominated the boards (54-36) and bench production (35-21). Perhaps the most staggering statistic of the night was the three-point shooting where the Mean Green shot 8-of-14 (57 percent). On the flipside the Jets connected on only 1-of-20 from beyond the arc (5 percent).
Newman made a charge early in the second half to cut the Mean Green lead to 52-41 but North Texas went on a 16-6 run and never looked back.
The Mean Green shot only 37 percent from the field in the first half, however they managed to shoot 6-of-10 from three-point territory which enabled them to take a 38-27 lead into halftime.
Thomas shot 3-of-4 from deep for a team-high nine points in the game's first 20 minutes. White and Shorter also chipped in eight points.
North Texas' defense kept Newman at bay in the first half by limiting them to 41 percent from the field and 0-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc. Justin Berry led the Jets with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field. However, Berry was only able to score two points in the second half.
The Mean Green will open the regular season this Friday when they host Cameron at 7 p.m. from The Super Pit.
