University of North Texas
-154,81 CUSA
Louisiana Tech
-165,72 CUSA
Mean Green Comeback To Beat LA Tech
1/29/2022 5:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UNT and LA Tech were tied for first place in the Conference USA West Division headed into Saturday with UAB.
The Mean Green were led by Thomas Bell who scored a career-high 21 points to bring UNT (15-4, 8-1 C-USA) back. Junior Tylor Perry sealed the comeback victory with a go-ahead 3-pointer with six seconds left in the game.
It was North Texas' first lead since the 7:26 mark in the first half. They trailed by 17 points with 16 minutes left in the second half.
"I'm so proud of these guys," said head coach Grant McCasland. "To be 17 points down and to never give up. It says a lot about this team and the fight they have. Thomas was huge for us in the second half. Thomas, JJ and Drez. They are veterans who know the fight it takes to win."
The win extends North Texas' win streak to seven in a row and they've now won 13 of its last 14 games.
It's the second straight win the Mean Green have had at LA Tech (16-5, 7-2 C-USA). Both games were won on last second buckets by the Mean Green. The Bulldogs have only lost 14 times in their home arena in the last 10 years. Two of those 14 times have come in the last three years versus the Mean Green.
"We never gave up," Bell said. "We stick together. That's what we do."
Down two points with 20 seconds left in the game, McCasland drew up a three-point play for Perry to win it.
With 11 seconds Perry missed the first attempt from the left corner but Bell scooped up the offensive rebound on the opposite side of the basket Perry shot from and quickly found Perry on the right wing for a 3-pointer, which Perry knew was going in.
"Thomas was huge for us all game and made winning plays," Perry said. "The first one I shot funny and my release was quick. Then shoutout to Thomas for grabbing the board and finding me open. I knew it was going in once I released it."
Bell had seven rebounds Saturday — four offensive rebounds — to go along with his 21 points that ties his single-game career-high. He was a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor in the second half and was 8-of-10 overall.
Perry, who missed Thursday's win at Southern Miss with an injury sustained the previous week, was held scoreless in the first half on Saturday but finished with 10 points and made two 3-pointers. He was one of four UNT players to score in double figures Saturday.
Sophomore big Abou Ousmane had 11 points — nine in the second half — and Mardrez McBride also finished with 10 points.
Next the Mean Green are back at the Super Pit on Thursday as they host UTEP for a 7 p.m. CT scheduled tip.
