DMN article on Pan American game

[OldTimer]

Mean Green opens road trip with OT win

UNT defeats UTPA behind four clutch free throws by Rogers

01:10 AM CST on Thursday, December 18, 2003

By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle

EDINBURG, Texas – Jerome Rogers made sure North Texas started a tough road trip on a high note Wednesday night.

Rogers hit two free throws to send the Mean Green's game against UT-Pan American into overtime and then made two more in the extra session to lift the Mean Green to an 87-81 win at the UTPA Field House.

Senior forward Shawnson Johnson led UNT with a double-double – 20 points and 13 rebounds – in his second appearance with the Mean Green (4-3). Pan American fell to 3-6.

Colleges

North Texas 87, UT-Pan American 81 (OT)

Box score

More North Texas

UNT trailed 77-75 when Rogers drove to the basket and drew a foul with 2.5 seconds left. The senior made both shots to send the game into overtime. Rogers then made another two free throws with 34.2 seconds left in overtime to give UNT an 83-80 lead it would not relinquish.

Junior guard Leonard Hopkins added 16 points for the Mean Green. Rogers scored all four of his points on free throws.

Sergio Sanchez scored 23 points to lead UTPA. The Broncs hit 36 of 44 free throws.

The game marked the beginning of a three-game road trip that will continue Saturday at St. Bonaventure in Olean, N.Y.

UNT will then play at Southeast Missouri State on Monday in Cape Girardeau, Mo., before taking a week off for the holidays.