Men's Basketball Wins Season Opener, 100-66

Harry · November 20, 2004

http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...00&ATCLID=88721

DENTON (11/19/04) - The North Texas men’s basketball team broke out with a 35-9 run midway through the second half to cruise to a 100-66 win against Angelo State on Friday night in the Super Pit.

The Mean Green (1-0) is now 4-0 in season openers under head coach Johnny Jones. The last time North Texas scored 100 points or more was last year in a 109-49 victory against Hardin-Simmons.

"I thought our guys played a very competitive basketball team in Angelo State," said head coach Johnny Jones. "They (ASU) did some things in the first half that disrupted what we wanted to do. They capitalized on our mistakes and made it very tough on us.

"Our press was the turning point in the game. We did a much better job in the second half when we started to press. The press allowed us to get energy from all five players on the floor."

Five players led North Texas in double figures. Senior Michael Jones posted a career-high 16 points and tied a personal best with nine rebounds. Jones led North Texas at half with 12 points. Senior Leonard Hopkins recorded 16 points and Ty Thomas added 11.

After leading by nine points at half, the Mean Green increased its lead to as much as 17 midway through the second half. Nine players then contributed to a 35-9 run, giving North Texas a 100-58 lead with under a minute to play. Freshman Quincy Williams scored seven of his 10 points in the run. The Mean Green forced 27 turnovers in the game and scored 22 points off fast-break opportunities. The NT players kept the crowd energized with an assortment of dunks.

North Texas led in small spurts in the first half, going ahead and then having Angelo State come back to tie the game. The Mean Green went on an 11-2 run capped by a Jones dunk to go ahead, 30-21 with six minutes left in the first half. ASU came back to the tie the game for the third time at 30-30 before the Mean Green went on another run to take a nine-point halftime lead.

"I think we proved a lot tonight," said junior Michael Sturns, who led the team with seven assists. "This shows how hard we’ve been practicing. We knew what we were capable of and knew if we executed, good things would happen. We knew if we put pressure on them, if everybody stepped it up, some good things would happen. I think we got in their minds and hearts, and when that happened we knew we had them."

As a team, North Texas shot 46.4 percent from the field, compared to ASU’s 38.7 percent. The Mean Green also held the edge on the boards, 59 to 35.

North Texas returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 21 when it faces No. 18 Alabama at 3:30 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.