University of North Texas Athletics
University of North Texas
(1) Rice
Women’s Basketball Set for Semifinal Against Rice
3/13/2026 2:51:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UNT women's basketball team faces top-seeded Rice in the semifinal round of the American Conference Championship on Friday.
North Texas (19-13, 11-7 American) enters with plenty of momentum after securing victories in each of the last two days. The most recent came over Tulsa in the quarterfinals, where UNT shot 45% from the field and forced 16 turnovers on defense. It led by as many as 19 in the second half, which was ultimately enough to hold off a late surge by the Golden Hurricane.
Sharpshooter Andi Schissler continued her hot streak by sinking a trio of three-pointers and scoring a team-high 18 points. She is shooting 47.9% from deep over her last dozen games, a stretch that also includes eight double-digit scoring efforts. Meanwhile, Jazzy Owens-Barnett dished out a career-high nine assists alongside 14 points, five rebounds and two steals. Her nine assists were tied for the most by a UNT player since 2018 and were one shy of the American tournament record.
UNT is looking to reach the conference tournament finals for the first time since 2002 and second time in program history. It must get past Rice first, who went 17-1 in league play and 27-4 overall to capture the American Conference regular season title. Several Owls were featured in the league's postseason awards as well, highlighted by Victoria Flores being named Player of the Year and Lindsay Edmonds' unanimous selection as Coach of the Year.
Rice won both matchups against the Mean Green this season by a combined total of six points. The winner of their third meeting will face either No. 2 East Carolina or No. 6 UTSA in Saturday's championship game.
A victory on Friday would also mark UNT's third straight 20-win season under head coach Jason Burton. It had done so just three times before his tenure.
Friday's game at Legacy Arena is scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+ with Sam Gore, Brooke Weisbrod and Maria Trivelpiece on the call. Sam Kaman also returns to provide radio coverage through the Varsity Network App.
WHAT 2 WATCH 4
• North Texas continues its run at the American Conference Championship on Friday against top-seeded Rice in the semifinals.
• With an 11-7 record in conference play, UNT received the tournament's No. 5 seed and a bye into the second round. It defeated No. 9 Florida Atlantic in that game before knocking off No. 4 Tulsa in the quarterfinals.
• The Mean Green have now reached the semifinals of their conference tournament eight total times, including back-to-back years under Jason Burton. They've played in the semifinal round three times since 2022 but are still looking for the program's first finals appearance since 2002.
• Megan Nestor and Aysia Proctor collected several American Conference postseason honors this week, highlighted by Nestor's Defensive Player of the Year award and both players being selected to All-Conference teams.
BIG MEG POSTING BIG NUMBERS
• Megan Nestor is a difference maker down low, averaging 12.8 points and 14.2 rebounds per game this year.
• Her 20 double doubles on the season lead the American and rank top 10 in the country. She is the American's only player averaging a double double.
• She leads the NCAA in total rebounds (454), offensive rebounds (170), rebounds per game (14.2) and offensive rebounds per game (5.3). Her 454 rebounds are the most in program and conference history.
• Nestor is the nation's only player to have recorded 20 rebounds in six games this year and one of two with 15 rebounds in 13 games. Those are both the highest totals in American Conference history.
• With rebound outings of 31, 28 and 27, Nestor has accounted for three of the five highest rebounding games across the NCAA this season. She is the first player since at least 1982 to reach 27 rebounds three times in a single season.
• Those three performances also hold the top three spots for single-game rebounds in UNT and American Conference history.
AT THE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
• North Texas has compiled a 17-28 record in games played at the conference tournament.
• UNT has reached the semifinal round eight total times, including each of the last two years under Jason Burton.
• As the No. 2 seed last season, UNT reached the semifinals but was upset by third-seeded South Florida, 58-48.
• North Texas has reached the conference finals just one time (2002, Sun Belt). Its lone NCAA Tournament appearance in 1986 came via a one-game playoff tiebreaker for the Southland Conference title.
A WIN WOULD...
• Improve North Texas to 20-13 on the year for its third straight 20-win season. It had done so just three times before the Jason Burton era.
• Advance UNT to the conference tournament finals for the second time in program history and first since 2002.
• Mark UNT's first time winning three games in the same conference tournament.
• Give UNT back-to-back wins over teams it had lost in the regular season.
• Make North Texas 9-3 in its past 12 games.
• Improve Burton's record as head coach against Rice to 4-3.
