Thursday, February 20
Houston
7 PM
University of North Texas
-917,311 CUSA
66
at
69
Rice
-178,122 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
North Texas
19
18
11
18
66
Rice
20
6
20
23
69
Photo by: Rick Yeatts Photography
Free Throws Difference Maker In Loss
2/20/2020 10:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON – North Texas women's basketball held Rice to six points in the second quarter and led by as many as 13 but could not contain the Owls in a 69-66 loss Thursday night inside Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Mean Green (9-17, 3-11 Conference USA) owned a 51-49 lead with 8:16 to play before Rice strung together a 12-2 run to go up by eight with 3:21 remaining. With 56 seconds to go, Jazion Jackson drained a fadeaway, and Charlene Shepherd made a layup to close the gap to one with 23 seconds left on the clock. The Mean Green missed 3-of-4 from the free throw line in the final 11 seconds while Rice hit a pair to go up three before UNT 3-pointer was blocked on the final play.
Anisha George posted team highs of 20 points and eight rebounds, and Jackson added 13 points. The team went 8-of-19 from the line as the Owls (17-8, 12-2 C-USA) made 20 of their 26 attempts.
"We had opportunities," head coach Jalie Mitchell said. "We were in a position to win and just couldn't pull it out. We have to make free throws; it's costing us games and opportunities. We are right there; we just have to get better."
North Texas had trouble corralling Erica Ogwumike as she scored a career-high 33 points for Rice.
"She did a great job. That's why she's the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year," Mitchell said.
In the second quarter, Randi Thompson hit a three for a 26-24 UNT advantage at the 6:28 mark to ignite a 14-0 run. A shot from deep by Summer Jones put North Texas up 31-24, and a fastbreak layup from Anisha George extended it to 37-24. Rice connected on a layup with two seconds to go to make it 37-26 at the break.
Rice opened the second half with seven fastbreak points to close within four. At the 2:32 mark, Jackson drove in for a layup to put the Mean Green up by double-digits at 48-37. That bucket proved to be the last Mean Green points in the quarter as the Owls closed to within 48-46.
The Mean Green head home to host UTSA March 7 at 7 p.m.
The Mean Green (9-17, 3-11 Conference USA) owned a 51-49 lead with 8:16 to play before Rice strung together a 12-2 run to go up by eight with 3:21 remaining. With 56 seconds to go, Jazion Jackson drained a fadeaway, and Charlene Shepherd made a layup to close the gap to one with 23 seconds left on the clock. The Mean Green missed 3-of-4 from the free throw line in the final 11 seconds while Rice hit a pair to go up three before UNT 3-pointer was blocked on the final play.
Anisha George posted team highs of 20 points and eight rebounds, and Jackson added 13 points. The team went 8-of-19 from the line as the Owls (17-8, 12-2 C-USA) made 20 of their 26 attempts.
"We had opportunities," head coach Jalie Mitchell said. "We were in a position to win and just couldn't pull it out. We have to make free throws; it's costing us games and opportunities. We are right there; we just have to get better."
North Texas had trouble corralling Erica Ogwumike as she scored a career-high 33 points for Rice.
"She did a great job. That's why she's the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year," Mitchell said.
In the second quarter, Randi Thompson hit a three for a 26-24 UNT advantage at the 6:28 mark to ignite a 14-0 run. A shot from deep by Summer Jones put North Texas up 31-24, and a fastbreak layup from Anisha George extended it to 37-24. Rice connected on a layup with two seconds to go to make it 37-26 at the break.
Rice opened the second half with seven fastbreak points to close within four. At the 2:32 mark, Jackson drove in for a layup to put the Mean Green up by double-digits at 48-37. That bucket proved to be the last Mean Green points in the quarter as the Owls closed to within 48-46.
The Mean Green head home to host UTSA March 7 at 7 p.m.
Team Stats
UNT
RICE
FG%
.467
.500
3FG%
.250
.250
FT%
.421
.769
RB
33
30
TO
16
17
STL
12
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
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