Fw*tele Women Advance In Tourney

OldTimer · March 6, 2008

Mean Green advances in tourney

By TROY PHILLIPSStar-Telegram Staff Writer

DENTON -- North Texas hadn't won a game in the Sun Belt Conference women's tournament in five years, so no current player had that bitter point of reference Wednesday night.

The Mean Green, though, remembered having one of its worst games of the season Saturday at New Orleans, and still losing by only two points.

"We wanted to come out and kill 'em," UNT forward Amber Jackson said of Wednesday's rematch.

UNT (14-17) promptly killed UNO's chances of advancing in the SBC tournament, sending the Privateers (13-17) out in the first round with a 75-62 victory at the Super Pit.

UNT faces No. 1 seed Western Kentucky in the second round at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in Mobile, Ala.

Led by Jackson's 16 points and eight rebounds, five Mean Green players scored in double figures. Too rare all season did the Mean Green show such balance. Jo Hall had 15 points and Talicia Sanders added eight points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

"We're disappointed our win-loss record doesn't reflect what this team accomplished," said UNT coach Tina Slinker, whose expiring contract kicks in an automatic three-year extension if her team makes the NCAA Tournament. "This team knows they're good."

UNT stretched an early double-digit lead to 50-25 in the second half. Slinker's team practiced at going aggressively at New Orleans' defense, and Hall didn't disappoint. She repeatedly cut inside defenders for easy buckets and had 12 points in the first half.

Hall and Jackson finished 13-for-28 from the field, and Sanders helped UNT outrebound UNO 49-28. UNT had 24 points off turnovers and withstood a late 20-13 run by UNO.

"Get a win and move on," said guard Yari Escalera, who had 12 points and four assists. "If we stay together, we're hard to beat. If we help each other out, everybody's happy."

UNO, led by Brittany Helm's 22 points, had one other player in double figures. The Privateers got no closer than 12 points in the second half. Erica Howard (10 points) drove the final nails for UNT with a pair of late jumpers.

UNT WOMEN 75, NEW ORLEANS 62

Breakdown

Why North Texas won: The Mean Green was aggressive on offense from the opening tip, reduced turnovers and didn't have to fight from behind.

Why New Orleans lost: The Privateers shot poorly in the first half and were badly outrebounded all night.

Notable: UNT won after never leading in its previous four games (0-4).

Up next: UNT vs. Western Kentucky, 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Mobile, Ala.

tphillips@star-telegram.com

Troy Phillips, 817-390-7760