Mean Green Advance to AAC Semifinals With 69-58 Win Over East Carolina

[cousin oliver]

FORT WORTH, Texas — The UNT women’s basketball team secured a spot in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Championships for the first time with a 69-58 win over East Carolina on Monday night at Dickies Arena.

 The Mean Green used another huge second half to down the Pirates in their first game of the tournament. North Texas outscored East Carolina, 47-33, in the final 20 minutes to erase a 25-22 halftime deficit.

“You have to come to the tournament and get that first one, get that monkey off your back, so to speak,” head coach Jason Burton said. “I thought the first half we kind of had those jitters. Then we do what North Texas traditionally does in the second half. We tightened things up and came out and played huge in the second half, and we got contributions across the board.”

Tommisha Lampkin started a 14-2 run midway through the third quarter that gave UNT a lead that it wouldn’t relinquish. Jaelyn Talley played an integral role in the comeback posting nine points in the quarter on 4-of-4 shooting, while finishing with a season-high 13 points.

Lampkin recorded her 17^th double double of the season and 35^th of her career, surpassing Clara Campbell for the most double doubles in a career in program history. The All-AAC First Team selection had 15 points, knocking down a solid 9-of-14 attempts from the free throw line, and grabbed 12 rebounds in the game.

The Mean Green defense forced the Pirates into 18 turnovers and held them to 34% shooting from the field. Desiree Wooten and Aniyah Johnson showed why they earned a spot on the conference’s All-Defensive team as Wooten had three steals and Johnson recorded a career-high six blocks. The senior had six of UNT’s seven blocks on the night, which is tied for the second most in a game in program history and the second most by any player in AAC Tournament history.

Wooten had a career-high seven assists to go with 11 points that matched Jaaucklyn Moore on the night.

With the win, North Texas set a program record for wins in a single season, improving to 24-7. It also marked their eight-straight win dating back to Feb. 9, which ties the longest win streak in program history.

The Mean Green will play the winner of No. 3 South Florida and No. 6 Tulane in the second semifinal of the day with tip-off set for 8 p.m. CT from Dickies Arena.