Mean Green Sweet 16: Javion's Game Winner

Photo by: Jesus Gutierrez

3/26/2020 8:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball

MEAN GREEN SWEET SIXTEEN

GUARD JAVION HAMLET SINKS A BUZZER BEATING GAME WINNER AT LA TECH (Jan. 18)

North Texas' win at LA Tech was the Mean Green's first victory over the Bulldogs in Ruston, Louisiana, since 1952 when the teams first ever played each other.
The victory also put North Texas in a tie for first-place with Western Kentucky in the 2020 Conference USA Standings. UNT, the eventual 2020 C-USA champions, never fell out of first place after beating LA Tech on Jan. 18.
LA Tech was tied for second-place.
Prior to Hamlet's game winning floater, North Texas hadn't scored since the 4:40 mark in the second half.
The referees went to a video review after the shot was called good on the floor. The review took roughly five minutes.
The win was at the time North Texas' fifth straight. They went on to win eight straight games, all in conference.

That's why (Hamlet) is here. To make plays.

HEAD COACH GRANT McCASLAND

RUSTON, Louisiana — North Texas men's basketball redshirt junior Javion Hamlet floated in a game-winner at the buzzer to beat Louisiana Tech 51-50 Saturday afternoon in Ruston, Louisiana.

The win is the Mean Green's (11-8, 5-1 C-USA) first victory in Ruston since 1952 — the first time they ever played — and extends UNT's current overall winning streak to five in a row and puts the Mean Green in a tie for first-place in the league standings with Western Kentucky.

LA Tech (13-5, 4-2 C-USA) entered Saturday as the only other team in Conference USA ranked in the top 100 of the NCAA's NET Ranking. The Bulldogs also entered Saturday's game tied with North Texas for second-place in the standings.

"We practice that play every day," Hamlet said of the game-winner. "I knew it was good."

With less than five seconds left on the clock, Hamlet in bounded the ball to Thomas Bell from the opposite baseline of the basket. Bell quickly gave the ball back to Hamlet who raced down the court, found an opening in the defense and from roughly eight feet from the rim, the lefty floated a shot that went right through as the buzzer went off.

After a two-minute review of the final play that felt much longer, the referees determined the shot was good.

"That's why (Hamlet) is here," said head coach Grant McCasland. "To make plays."

Hamlet's shot came right after LA Tech's Amorie Archibald made a layup with five seconds left to give the Bulldogs a lead. Archibald was fouled on the layup but missed the and-one opportunity. Bell grabbed the rebound and was immediately fouled by LA Tech, forcing UNT to take the ball out at the baseline, 94 feet from the basket Hamlet eventual scored the game-winner on.

Saturday's game began with Umoja Gibson scoring 11 points in the first seven minutes to give the Mean Green an 18-8 lead. The hot start was huge for the sophomore who the last time played in Ruston was held scoreless. It's still the only time he's been held scoreless and since that game last season has made at least one 3-pointer in every game (23).

UNT increased its first-half lead to as many as 13 but couldn't quite put on a run that felt like they put away the Bulldogs and sure enough in the second-half LA Tech made its run.

Between the 18-minute mark and 11-minute mark of the second-half, LA Tech went on a 14-2 run and tied the game. With a loud home crowd behind it, LA Tech took a lead with nine minutes and 12 seconds remaining. From that point on, there would be a total of just 12 points scored by both teams combined.

With four minutes and 40 seconds remaining, Bell knocked down a pair of free throws to take a three-point lead.

UNT didn't score again until Hamlet's buzzer beater.

"We stuck together, made some big stops, and went after boards," Hamlet said. "This a huge win for our program and has us feeling great."

The Mean Green won't have a lot of time to celebrate. They return home on Monday and host Rice at 7 p.m. They'll enter Monday's game with a five-game home winning streak and overall a five-game winning streak.

With Saturday's road win, UNT is the first Conference USA team to win three road league games.

Javion Hamlet went on to be named the Conference USA Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-Conference
Javion Hamlet averaged 17.9 points per game in conference
He led C-USA in league play in assists, assists per game, assists/turnover ratio, free throw percentage and was fourth in scoring and 11th in field goal percentage

??GAME-WINNER??@javion_hamlet drops it in for our first win in Ruston since 1952 and give us our fifth straight win!#GMG pic.twitter.com/0e0UMaUOlg
— North Texas Basketball (@MeanGreenMBB) January 19, 2020

A live look at the Mean Green locker room!

Your Mean Green win in Ruston for the first time since 1952 off a @javion_hamlet game-winner!#GMG pic.twitter.com/9kLVCEWHJb
— North Texas Basketball (@MeanGreenMBB) January 19, 2020