DMN..NT loses heartbreaker 74-73

OldTimer · March 8, 2003

UNT's season ends with heartbreaker, 74-73

03/08/2003

By TIM MacMAHON / Denton Record-Chronicle

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – North Texas swingman Chris Davis didn't want his college career to end Friday night.

Despite a heroic effort down the stretch, the 6-5 senior couldn't do enough to earn the privilege of playing another game. The Mean Green suffered a 74-73 loss to Arkansas-Little Rock in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament at E.A. Diddle Arena.

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"I'm just hurting that it's over," said a teary-eyed Davis, who finished 38 points shy of breaking the school scoring record.

Davis, who scored nine of his game-high 20 points in the final six minutes, dished to forward Michael DeGrate for a go-ahead jumper with 9.1 seconds remaining.

Trojans guard Mark Green, who also scored 20 points, made both free throws after being fouled with 3.5 seconds left for the deciding points.

With Davis double-teamed on the wing, UNT point guard Jerome Rogers' spinning runner bounced off the rim at the buzzer.

"We couldn't even think about getting the ball to Chris," UNT coach Johnny Jones said. "I know it's tough emotionally for him to not be able to make that play."

The loss was the eighth in a row and 14th in the last 15 games for the Mean Green (7-21).

Rogers and freshman forward Ron Harris each scored 13 points for UNT, which played most of the game without senior forward Jermaine Green (knee).

Arkansas-Little Rock (18-11), which advances to play New Mexico State in the quarterfinals Sunday, got 19 points off the bench from guard Nick Zachary. Forward Jamal Holden added 13 points.

Davis picked up his fourth foul with 11 minutes remaining. When he returned at the six-minute mark, the Trojans had a four-point lead, their biggest of the night.