Mitchell Scores 21 In UNT Win Against WKU
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DENTON, Texas (1/12/12) – Tony Mitchell scored 21 and Roger Franklin poured in a career-high 20 points to lead the North Texas men’s basketball team to an 84-67 victory against Western Kentucky on Thursday night at the Super Pit.
The Mean Green improves to 10-8 and 3-2 in the Sun Belt, while the Hilltoppers fall to 5-13 and 1-4 in the conference. North Texas has won three of the last four meetings against WKU.
North Texas held just a four-point lead at the half, but exploded in the second period with a 21-9 run to open up the game. The home team shot a season-best 56.4 percent from the field.
The Mean Green had two 20-plus point scorers for the first time since Jan. 27, 2011, when Tristan Thompson and Shannon Shorter each scored 20+ at Louisiana-Lafayette.
Mitchell posted his third double-double of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds. He had his second game with 20-plus points this season, all in the last three games. The freshman had his best career field goal percentage, going 8-for-9. Seventeen of Mitchell’s 21 points came in the second half.
Franklin scored a career-high 20 points. His previous personal best was 14 set against Grambling and he scored 15 in the first half alone. He led the Mean Green with eight points from the free-throw line. The junior is the third NT player to score 20-plus points in a game this season, joining Jones and Mitchell.
Jordan Williams joined the duo in double-figures with 16 points. Chris Jones scored nine points, pulled down eight rebounds and dished out seven assists.
Midway through the second half, Mitchell led North Texas on a 13-0 run that featured two dunks by Mitchell and one by Williams. The streak started with Mitchell hitting a three-pointer at the top of the
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key and then a fast-break dunk to give North Texas a 52-46 lead at 16:30. Franklin capped the run with a layup that put North Texas ahead by 14, 60-46, at 12:53.
Over a 10-minute spread, North Texas outscored the Hilltoppers, 21-9. Mitchell scored 12 of those points, including three dunks and two 3-pointers. Behind 64 percent shooting from the field, North Texas kept a double-figure advantage for the rest of the game.
North Texas scored 16 points from the free-throw line, while the Hilltoppers only scored six.
Four 3-pointers in the opening 12 minutes propelled the Mean Green to a 25-20 advantage at 8:03. Walton and Williams each hit two 3-pointers. Williams also had two under the basket layups to add to his total of 10 points at the half.
Franklin scored 10 of the final 15 points in the first half. The junior scored all of the Mean Green points in the last four minutes. He finished with 15 points at the half, including seven from the free-point line.
North Texas returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 14 at ULM in Monroe, La.
