Sunday, January 31
The Super Pit
3 P.M.
University of North Texas
-95,51 CUSA
79
vs
53
Rice
-108,46 CUSA
1
2
F
Rice
23
30
53
North Texas
34
45
79
Photo by: Rick Yeatts Photography
Mean Green Stay Hot With 79-53 Win
1/31/2021 4:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
DENTON — The North Texas men's basketball team won its fourth straight game with a 79-53 win over Rice Sunday at the Super Pit.
UNT improves to 5-1 in conference and 9-5 overall with the win. They have now beaten Rice (10-8, 4-6) in seven of their last eight meetings.
"I was super impressed with the way (James Reese) competed," said head coach Grant McCasland. "When you have a guy like that who almost couldn't play put up the numbers he did, that's what our team is about."
Reese injured his lower leg on Friday in the Mean Green's 79-74 win in Houston and didn't return. Two days later, Reese scored 12 points, had four rebounds, three steals in 26 minutes and had a plus/minus of +24 in Sunday's 26-point win.
"There was no question in his mind if he was going to play," McCasland said. "It's that kind of grit. That kind of competitiveness that I love about this whole team."
North Texas was led by senior Zachary Simmons who scored 14 points — on 7-of-8 shooting — and grabbed 10 rebounds for his sixth career double-double. He fell just two points shy of scoring his 1,000th career point. Simmons for his career is now 38-for-49 (.775) from the field against Rice in eight career meetings.
Coming off his 30-point game on Friday, senior Javion Hamlet had another solid performance. Hamlet scored 12 points, made two 3-pointers and had no turnovers.
In total, eight Mean Green players scored five or more on Sunday in the 26-point win.
"We had probably the best defensive performance all year," Reese said. "This team really loves each other and we're all in."
McCasland is now 7-1 versus Rice as the Mean Green head coach. In their last two meetings at the Super Pit, UNT has won by an average of 23 points.
The Mean Green return to the Super Pit on Friday to host Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m. The game will be on Stadium and the Mean Green Sports Network Learfield IMG College.
UNT improves to 5-1 in conference and 9-5 overall with the win. They have now beaten Rice (10-8, 4-6) in seven of their last eight meetings.
"I was super impressed with the way (James Reese) competed," said head coach Grant McCasland. "When you have a guy like that who almost couldn't play put up the numbers he did, that's what our team is about."
Reese injured his lower leg on Friday in the Mean Green's 79-74 win in Houston and didn't return. Two days later, Reese scored 12 points, had four rebounds, three steals in 26 minutes and had a plus/minus of +24 in Sunday's 26-point win.
"There was no question in his mind if he was going to play," McCasland said. "It's that kind of grit. That kind of competitiveness that I love about this whole team."
North Texas was led by senior Zachary Simmons who scored 14 points — on 7-of-8 shooting — and grabbed 10 rebounds for his sixth career double-double. He fell just two points shy of scoring his 1,000th career point. Simmons for his career is now 38-for-49 (.775) from the field against Rice in eight career meetings.
Coming off his 30-point game on Friday, senior Javion Hamlet had another solid performance. Hamlet scored 12 points, made two 3-pointers and had no turnovers.
In total, eight Mean Green players scored five or more on Sunday in the 26-point win.
"We had probably the best defensive performance all year," Reese said. "This team really loves each other and we're all in."
McCasland is now 7-1 versus Rice as the Mean Green head coach. In their last two meetings at the Super Pit, UNT has won by an average of 23 points.
The Mean Green return to the Super Pit on Friday to host Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m. The game will be on Stadium and the Mean Green Sports Network Learfield IMG College.
Team Stats
Rice
UNT
FG%
.370
.571
3FG%
.176
.421
FT%
.667
1.000
RB
27
34
TO
12
11
STL
7
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
14
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's Basketball
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