DMN NT stays around for 2nd half, art on Webber

OldTimer · December 7, 2002

UNT stays around for second half

Lincoln's Hopkins keeps scoring to help Mean Green shoot over hurdle

12/07/2002

By TIM MacMAHON / Denton Record-Chronicle

ROCK HILL, S.C. ? Guard Leonard Hopkins scored a career-high 24 points to lead North Texas to a 76-72 win Friday night over Weber State.

Hopkins displayed a splendid shooting touch, making all but one shot from the field. But coach Johnny Jones was most impressed with the manner in which the sophomore scored his points in the first round at the Brothers Air and Heat Shootout at Winthrop Coliseum.

"The fact that he shot the ball well is not a surprise to me," said Jones, whose team will face the winner of the Winthrop for the tournament title at 6 p.m. Saturday. "He showed tonight that he's growing up by being patient and waiting for his shot."

Hopkins, a 6-3 Lincoln product, has had a habit of forcing the action when he gets the hot hand. That's why he spent most of the second half on the bench after scoring 13 points before halftime of the season opener at Southwest Missouri State.

"I tried to stay away from that tonight," said Hopkins, who was 8-of-9 from the field and 5-of-5 from 3-point range. "After I hit a couple, I just stayed calm and relaxed, let it come to me."

UNT (2-2) shot a season-best 55 percent from the field and was 7-of-14 on 3-pointers.

The Mean Green made sure it avoided its first three-game losing streak since last December by breaking another rough trend: poor second-half performances.

UNT, which had been outscored by an average of 14 points in the second half this season, took control of a close game in the first nine minutes after halftime. The Mean Green stretched a two-point lead to 10 points during that span, with Hopkins hitting 3-pointers to begin and end the spurt.

UNT swingman Chris Davis, who has struggled this season, had another poor shooting night, making just 5-of-15 from the field. However, he led all players with 10 rebounds and five assists and sparked UNT's start in the second half. Davis had six points and three assists during a 16-7 run.

Weber State (4-2), which has four starters back from last season's 18-win team, trimmed the lead to four points with 55.1 seconds remaining but couldn't get any closer.

BOX SCORE

NORTH TEXAS (2-2): J. Green 5-8 5-6 15, Masters 3-6 0-0 6, Davis 5-15 5-7 15, L. Green 3-7 0-0 8, Hopkins 8-9 3-3 24, Smith 1-2 0-0 2, Rogers 0-0 0-0 0, Roniger 0-0 0-0 0, DeGrate 3-4 0-0 6, Barnett 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-51 13-16 76.

WEBER STATE (4-2): Sparrow 3-9 0-1 6, Bachmann 3-6 2-2 8, Boyette 5-8 4-6 15, Barton 1-3 3-4 6, Morrison 2-9 0-0 6, Jenkins 0-0 0-0 0, Hamilton 4-13 2-2 13, Eyre 1-1 0-0 2, Danley 7-11, 2-6, 16. Totals 26-60 13-21 72.

Halftime: UNT, 38-36. Three-point goals: UNT 7-14 (Davis 0-4, L. Green 2-5, Hopkins 5-5), Weber State 7-28 (Sparrow 0-5, Boyette 1-3, Barton 1-3, Morrison 2-7, Hamilton 3-10). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: UNT 32 (Davis 10), Weber State 34 (Danley 8). Assists: UNT 18 (J. Green, Davis 5), Weber State 11 (Sparrow, Boyette, Morrison 2). Total fouls: UNT 20, Weber State 16. A: 151.