DRC Women BB wins exhibition game

[OldTimer]

Women's Basketball: UNT women win exhibition

09:07 AM CST on Thursday, November 11, 2004

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

A second chance turned out to be just what the North Texas women’s basketball team needed in its exhibition schedule.

Mia Ajekwu scored 18 points to lead three UNT players who scored in double figures and the Mean Green cruised to a 95-79 win over the Oklahoma Flyers on Wednesday in an exhibition game at The Super Pit.

The win was UNT’s first of the exhibition season and came just days after the Mean Green struggled to find a flow offensively in an 83-62 loss to the Houston Jaguars in their first exhibition game.

"We worked some on offense and found a few solutions after our last game," UNT coach Tina Slinker said. "Natalie [Mireles] came out and hit the first shot. That helped and we took advantage of our inside game."

Six UNT players scored at least eight points against the Flyers.

Sophomore forward Kelsie Edwards scored 17 points while junior guard Erika Bobo added 15.

That balance helped send the Mean Green into their regular season opener Nov. 19 at home against Binghamton on a roll.

Finding its rhythm was a priority for UNT after the Mean Green struggled offensively in their first exhibition game of the season. UNT shot 32 percent from the field against the Jaguars.

The Mean Green came back to shoot 46 percent from the field against the Flyers. UNT equaled its point total from its first game of the season when junior forward Kennethia Wilson hit a pair of free throws with 12:24 left to give the Mean Green a 62-45 lead.

The Mean Green went on to reach the 90-point mark for the first time since scoring 92 points in a game against New Orleans during the 2002 season.

"We had a lot better offensive flow," Edwards said. "In practice this week we concentrated on executing plays, running them through and getting the ball inside. When we start scoring inside, it opens up the outside."

UNT started to become more comfortable with a lineup filled with new starters against the Flyers. The Mean Green lost several key players after last season and have moved Bobo from the point guard spot to shooting guard.

"The first game everyone was kind of nervous," Ajekwu said.

Slinker was particularly pleased with Mireles who finished with eight points and five assists.

"We played more like we have been practicing," Slinker said. "We played so much better than we did last week."

FLYERS (79) – Villarroel 2-4 1-3 5, Williston 2-8 0-0 4, Korge 10-15 1-3 23, Silva 2-6 2-3 6, Grismanauskaite 2-7 2-2 6, Hardeman 0-1 0-0 0, Bays 1-2 2-2 5, Arant 0-6 5-6 5, Springer 3-4 2-4 9, Banks 5-9 5-6 16. Totals 27-62 20-29 79.

UNT (95) –

Edwards 8-13 1-1 17, Ajekwu 8-14 2-2 18, Wali 4-9 1-4 9, Mireles 3-7 0-0 8, Williams 1-4 5-6 7, Howard 0-1 3-5 3, Bobo 6-10 3-5 15, Quattrocchi 1-5 0-0 3, Wilson 2-6 4-6 8, Sanders 3-7 0-0 6, Klat 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 36-78 20-31 95.

Halftime – UNT 44, Flyers 30. 3-point goals – Flyers 5-11 (Villarroel 0-2, Williston 0-1, Korfe 2-2, Bays 1-1, Arant 0-2, Springer 1-1, Banks 1-2), UNT 3-14 (Wali 0-3, Mireles 2-4, Williams 0-2, Quattrocchi 1-4, Wilson 0-1). Fouled out – none. Rebounds – Flyers 43 (Arant 6), UNT 45 (Bobo 8). Assists – Flyers 6 (Hardeman, Arant 2), UNT 18 (Wali 6). Total fouls – Flyers 25, UNT 24.