University of North Texas
Indiana
Indiana Rolls Over North Texas Women, 94-64
12/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2016
DENTON - The North Texas women shook off an opening salvo from Indiana in Tuesday's mid-day game at the Super Pit, recovering from an early 14-point deficit.
It was the barrage that followed that felled the Mean Green.
North Texas (2-6) was out-scored 29-7 in the second quarter and never got closer than 20 points the rest of the way as Indiana rolled to a 94-64 victory and handed the Mean Green their third-straight loss.
Indiana (5-3) dominated all aspects of the game. Lead by Tyra Buss with a game-high 21 points, the Hoosiers scored in the paint and from the 3-point arc, making 70 percent of its shots in the first half and 64 percent for the game. Indiana enjoyed a massive rebounding advantage, out-boarding North Texas 44-14 and collecting more offensive rebounds (12) than North Texas had defensive rebounds (nine). And with those kind of rebounding numbers, not surprisingly Indiana out-scored the Mean Green in the paint, 44-18.
"They were tougher than us," North Texas coach Jalie Mitchell said. "We got pushed around a little bit. We got introduced to Big 10 basketball.
"They got some second-chance opportunities and we got almost none," Mitchell added. "They owned the paint."
North Texas got off to a disastrous start, going scoreless until the 5:12 mark of the first quarter and falling behind, 13-0. The deficit grew to 14 before North Texas stopped the bleeding, then the Mean Green roared back with a 9-0 run fueled by Kelsey Criner and Tyara Warren to draw within 20-15 at the end of the first quarter. Criner finished the game with a season-high 17 points.
But just as they did to start the game, the Hoosiers opened the second quarter with a 13-2 run to reestablish control, and this time North Texas had no answer. Indiana upped its lead to 27 points at 49-22 by halftime.
Indiana's lead topped at 32 points late in the third quarter before North Texas went on a 12-0 run, led by seven points from Criner.
But the Hoosiers immediately regained control and had the lead back over 30 points early in the fourth quarter.
Quick Hits
• In the second quarter, Candice Adams became the 22nd player in North Texas history to reach 700 points in her career.
• Adams moved into fourth place all-time in career 3-point field goals at North Texas. Adams, a senior, has made 114 3-pointers.
• This was the sixth different starting lineup for the Mean Green in eight games this season.
• Kelsey Criner had a season-high in points with 17.
• Adams also had a season-best in scoring with 14 points.
• Sophomore Grace Goodhart had a career-high nine points.
• Nine players scored for North Texas Tuesday, the sixth time the Mean Green has gotten that kind of depth of scoring this season.
• Indiana's 94 points are the most North Texas has allowed this year.
• IU's 49 points were the most North Texas has allowed in the first half this year.
• IU's 64-percent shooting is the best percentage by a Mean Green opponent this season.
What's Next
North Texas hosts Incarnate Word on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 3 p.m. at the Super Pit.
