DRC..NT hopes to snap slump at SMU

OldTimer · December 16, 2002

UNT hopes to snap slump at SMU

12/16/2002

By Matthew Postins / Assistant Sports Editor

DALLAS ? Even after Wednesday?s horrible shooting display against Indiana, Tina Slinker says she isn?t worried about her UNT Lady Eagles heading into Monday?s non-conference contest against SMU at Moody Coliseum.

Of course, beating SMU (3-2) doesn?t necessarily mean the Lady Eagles (4-3) are ahead of the curve, either.

"If we get the SMU win, we won?t be far off from where I thought we would be," said Slinker after the 51-42 loss to Indiana.

But coming off a loss in which UNT shot a season-worst 21.1 percent from the floor, and were a couple of missed layups away from tying the game in the final two minutes, Monday?s game is more about reclaiming some confidence after the Lady Eagles followed a 3-0 start by going 1-3 in its last four games.

Indiana found a formula to derail UNT?s inside game in its victory. The Hoosiers played intense man-to-man defense, but defenders also sagged off their defensive assignments and into the paint, where they clogged the lane to stop players like forward Kim Blanton, who had a season-low eight points.

Blanton said after the game that Indiana had scouted them well, and no doubt SMU coach Rhonda Rompola and her staff were taking notes.

"Playing basketball you?re looking for a high-percentage shot or in the paint," said Blanton. "If the post can?t make it you have to kick it out to a guard for a jump shot. You also look to get to the free throw line, but that wasn?t working tonight either, and that?s a 75 percent shot."

Blanton is still UNT?s leading scorer at 12.6 points per game, but the team as a whole is shooting just 36.8 percent from the floor. Of course, UNT?s pressure defense offsets that by forcing 23 turnovers a contest.

SMU hasn?t played since a 77-57 loss to TCU on Dec. 5. Like UNT, the Mustangs started the season 3-0, but have lost their last two games. And, like the Lady Eagles, SMU?s first loss of the season was to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

The Lady Eagles will have to watch Mustangs sharpshooter Andrea Cossey closely. Cossey is the team?s leading scorer, and is shooting 31.4 percent from behind the arc. UNT?s Heather Trout is shooting about the same percentage from behind the 3-point arc, but is coming off an 0-for-6 performance against Indiana. Against UC-Riverside, Trout was 4-for-8 from behind the arc.

The Lady Eagles get the Christmas holiday off until Dec.30, when they travel to Waco to face Baylor.