FW * Telegram NT women in league toourney

[OldTimer]

UNT women in league tourney

By Scott Mccoy

Special to the Star-Telegram

DENTON - New Orleans didn't have the benefit of North Texas forward Kim Blanton's scouting report of teammate Jill Medlock.

"You have to guard Jill out there on the Wells Fargo sign," Blanton said referring to the bank advertisement painted on the floor well outside of the 3-point arc.

Medlock picked an opportune time to snap out of a shooting slump, hitting 4-of-5 3-pointers in a 67-56 victory Thursday at the Super Pit. The win coupled with an Arkansas-Little Rock victory over New Mexico State clinched a spot for UNT (11-15, 7-7) in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

"It's a relief, really," UNT coach Tina Slinker said. "Every game is so close, it at least let's you not look back and if, if, if, if."

Medlock hit a 3-pointer with 1:50 to play to put UNT up 61-56.

"Even when they don't go in I'm still encouraged to shoot it, but it's hard for me to feel comfortable when they're not going in," Medlock said. "It felt good tonight, especially that last one."

It came after the Privateers (10-16, 5-9) couldn't convert on back-to-back chances to tie the game, including a pair of missed free throws by guard Monique Taylor.

UNT finished the game on a 9-0 run.

Medlock also sent the Lady Eagles into halftime with a 3-pointer from about five feet behind the arc as time expired in the first half to put UNT up 40-34.

Blanton provided the offense around the basket with 17 points and 12 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season.

She also led the team with six turnovers.

The Lady Eagles had been taking better care of the basketball in recent weeks.

The failure to do so against New Orleans almost cost UNT the game. The Lady Eagles turned the ball over 24 times as the Privateers cut what was once a nine-point lead to two with 3:09 to play.

"Usually in these situations in the games that we've lost we went the last three or four minutes without scoring," Blanton said. "We knew this game was important. I don't know why we like to put pressure on ourselves but we always let it come down to making the tournament or not making the tournament before we really play hard."

BREAKDOWN

WHY NORTH TEXAS WON

The Lady Eagles had a balanced offensive attack, going 4-of-7 from 3-point range and scoring 28 points in the paint.

WHY NEW ORLEANS LOST

The Privateers used pressure defense to force turnovers, but they rarely did anything with them. New Orleans scored just six points off 24 turnovers.

NOTABLE

• UNT guard Jill Medlock needs three 3-pointers to tie Ashley Norris for the single-season school record.

• New Orleans defeated UNT 80-78 in January despite a career-high 27 points from senior forward Kim Blanton.

• The Lady Eagles made 6 of 8 free throws in the final 1:09 to ice the game.