Thursday, January 2
Bowling Green, KY
6:00 PM
University of North Texas
-68,01 CUSA
84
at
93
Western Kentucky
-85,10 CUSA
1
2
F
North Texas
42
42
84
Western Ky.
32
61
93
Photo by: Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images
Mean Green Drop Conference Opener At WKU
1/2/2020 9:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky — The North Texas men's basketball team dropped its Conference USA opener 93-84 at Western Kentucky Thursday night.
Despite shooting just south of 60 percent from the field for the game, 40 percent from deep, not missing a free throw and scoring 42 points in each half, the Mean Green (6-8, 0-1) ran into an extremely hot shooting Hilltoppers (8-5, 1-0) in the second-half.
WKU scored 61 points in the second-half, 14 off turnovers and all 14 in transition. They started the half on a 21-3 run after making its first five 3-point attempts, which erased a 15-point deficit UNT had built.
North Texas redshirt junior Javion Hamlet matched his season-high with 19 points on Thursday. To go along with his scoring, the Memphis, Tennessee native dished out eight assists with just two turnovers.
In the first half, redshirt senior Deng Geu helped the Mean Green build a double digits lead with strong finishes around the basket. The forward scored 16 points in the first-half on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting. Geu finished with 18 points on 8-of-9.
"Definitely executed well in the first-half," McCasland said. "It shows when you're on the road that even with a 15-point lead you have to attack."
WKU committed zero turnovers in the second-half and was unconscious shooting the ball from deep, hitting five straight to start the half, which propelled them to take its first lead since the 13:04 mark in the first-half. They finished the second-half 9-of-13 (69.2 percent) from deep and 18-of-26 (69.2 percent) from the field overall.
WKU, the preseason conference favorite, entered Thursday's game as one of the top teams in the nation at getting to the foul line and they did exactly that. The Hilltoppers took 21 free throws in the second-half and made 16 of them.
"Give them credit,' McCasland said. "They made huge shots and definitely controlled the tempo the last 15 minutes of the game."
UNT has a quick turnaround. They travel to Marshall (7-7, 1-0) on Saturday at 1p.m. CT. The Thundering Herd beat Rice on Thursday 89-69 and will want to play a similar tempo as WKU.
Saturday's game will be broadcasted on ESPN+ and the Mean Green Sports Network on 88.1 FM and 95.3 FM or on the tuneIN app.
"We've got to get our body right for a team that's going to play similar," McCasland said. "This is where our depth will help us."
Despite shooting just south of 60 percent from the field for the game, 40 percent from deep, not missing a free throw and scoring 42 points in each half, the Mean Green (6-8, 0-1) ran into an extremely hot shooting Hilltoppers (8-5, 1-0) in the second-half.
WKU scored 61 points in the second-half, 14 off turnovers and all 14 in transition. They started the half on a 21-3 run after making its first five 3-point attempts, which erased a 15-point deficit UNT had built.
North Texas redshirt junior Javion Hamlet matched his season-high with 19 points on Thursday. To go along with his scoring, the Memphis, Tennessee native dished out eight assists with just two turnovers.
In the first half, redshirt senior Deng Geu helped the Mean Green build a double digits lead with strong finishes around the basket. The forward scored 16 points in the first-half on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting. Geu finished with 18 points on 8-of-9.
"Definitely executed well in the first-half," McCasland said. "It shows when you're on the road that even with a 15-point lead you have to attack."
WKU committed zero turnovers in the second-half and was unconscious shooting the ball from deep, hitting five straight to start the half, which propelled them to take its first lead since the 13:04 mark in the first-half. They finished the second-half 9-of-13 (69.2 percent) from deep and 18-of-26 (69.2 percent) from the field overall.
WKU, the preseason conference favorite, entered Thursday's game as one of the top teams in the nation at getting to the foul line and they did exactly that. The Hilltoppers took 21 free throws in the second-half and made 16 of them.
"Give them credit,' McCasland said. "They made huge shots and definitely controlled the tempo the last 15 minutes of the game."
UNT has a quick turnaround. They travel to Marshall (7-7, 1-0) on Saturday at 1p.m. CT. The Thundering Herd beat Rice on Thursday 89-69 and will want to play a similar tempo as WKU.
Saturday's game will be broadcasted on ESPN+ and the Mean Green Sports Network on 88.1 FM and 95.3 FM or on the tuneIN app.
"We've got to get our body right for a team that's going to play similar," McCasland said. "This is where our depth will help us."
Team Stats
UNT
WestKy
FG%
.582
.549
3FG%
.417
.480
FT%
1.000
.735
RB
29
22
TO
13
5
STL
2
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
Guard
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