Mustangs pull away

UNTFan23 · November 30, 2002

Rebounds vital to SMU’s 88-75 win over Mean Green

11/30/2002

By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer

UNIVERSITY PARK — North Texas suffered an 88-75 loss Friday night to SMU for one simple reason: The Mustangs were tougher than the Mean Green.

UNT was dominated by its regional rival in the paint at Moody Coliseum, which is why the Mustangs attempted more than twice as many free throws as the Mean Green. SMU enjoyed a 54-37 rebounding advantage and had more offensive boards (24) than UNT had defensive boards (19).

"If a team isn’t shooting the ball that well, you can’t allow them second and third opportunities," UNT coach Johnny Jones said. "We just didn’t do a good job of being physical enough and keeping them off the offensive glass."

Added UNT swingman Chris Davis, who scored 16 points before fouling out late in the game: "We didn’t get a body on them like we needed to. That determined the game."

It certainly didn’t help UNT (1-1) that SMU swingman Quinton Ross produced a career-high point total for the third consecutive game. Ross scored 32 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor and 9-of-10 shooting from the line. He also had a game-high six offensive rebounds.

"He can make a difference between a win and a loss," said SMU coach Mike Dement, whose team has beaten UNT the last two seasons. "He did that tonight."

SMU forward Eric Castro chipped in with a double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds.

The Mean Green spent most of the game trailing by single digits only because of the hot shooting of point guard Jerome Rogers, who scored 21 points off the bench. The 5-10 Rogers, a Dallas Madison product playing in his hometown, made six of 11 3-point attempts.

UNT also got solid contributions from reserves Ron Harris (nine points, four rebounds in 18 minutes) and Unjel Masters (six points, seven rebounds in 18 minutes).

"Our bench was the reason that we were still in the game." Jones said.

Every time the Mean Green made a run, however, SMU responded.

UNT guard Leonard Hopkins (15 points) hit a 3-pointer early in the second half to put the Mean Green ahead, 47-46, its first lead since the early stages of the game. SMU (2-1) scored the next six points.

A Rogers 3-pointer brought UNT within two with 14:44 to play. The Mustangs quickly reeled off a seven-point run, which included five points by Castro.

Masters and Davis hit jumpers on consecutive possessions to pull UNT within five with 5:55 to play, prompting Dement to call a timeout and apparently giving the Mean Green momentum. Not so, as the Mustangs scored 13 of the next 14 points to put the game away.

"We almost caught them," Hopkins said. "Q. Ross and them just made wide-open clutch shots. They answered us every time."

The Mustangs rode Ross to a 44-41 halftime lead. The 6-6 senior swingman scored 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting — scoring 14 consecutive points for SMU at one point — in the first 20 minutes.

UNT opened an 11-5 advantage before the first media timeout, but SMU soon went on a 15-3 run to take the lead. The Mustangs led as many as 10, but the Mean Green closed the gap by scoring nine unanswered points near the end of the half.

SMU, however, pounded UNT inside in the second half. The Mustangs had a 24-10 advantage in points in the paint after halftime. The majority of that came off of offensive rebounding.

"We’re bigger than we were last year and stronger than we were last year," Jones said when asked if rebounding could present a season-long problem for UNT. "It’s just a matter of having that desire and determination to get to the glass."

NT80 · December 1, 2002

"We’re bigger than we were last year and stronger than we were last year," Jones said when asked if rebounding could present a season-long problem for UNT. "It’s just a matter of having that desire and determination to get to the glass."

That says it well. We haven't been able to really control the boards with big men in over 10 years.

DallasGreen · December 2, 2002

Why can we not get desire and determination when we play a metroplex team? A very disappointing loss that will sour many borderline fans on the rest of the year---never have I seen so many stand flat- footed around the basket, we bordered on pitiful.

UNTLifer · December 2, 2002

Why can we not get desire and determination when we play a metroplex team? A very disappointing loss that will sour many borderline fans on the rest of the year---never have I seen so many stand flat- footed around the basket, we bordered on pitiful.

I agree, but we could also change the borderline fans attitude with a solid win at home against TCU. Of course this won't happen without the proper board work.

NT80 · December 3, 2002

Similar to the football program, it was left in pretty bad shape after Trilli. JJ will need a couple years to restock and get his system established. As always, I still think we are lacking in the post position. Barnett seems to have some good tools, he just needs experience.