North Texas Wins Home Opener
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DENTON, Texas (11/16/12) – Five players in double-figures led the North Texas men’s basketball team to a 78-49 victory against Cameron on Friday night at the Super Pit.
The Mean Green wins its 10 th straight home opener and improves to 2-2 overall. Playing this game as an exhibition, Cameron remains at 1-0.
“I thought our guys executed our game plan pretty well tonight,” said North Texas head coach Tony Benford. “We really wanted to build on our performance against Lamar, and I think we did that. Chris Jones was phenomenal, and he is really starting to understand what being a floor general is all about.”
North Texas was a little slow coming out of the gates, but picked up the pace as the first half wore on and quickly built a 20-point lead. The Mean Green opened the second half with a 19-0 run and eased its way to a 29-point victory.
Chris Jones led the Mean Green with 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field. He also dished out a team-high seven assists. The guard helped the Mean Green get out to a fast start, scoring 12 points in the first half.
Jacob Holmen followed with 14 points, including nine points from three-point range. Alzee Williams pitched in
12 points, and Tony Mitchell and Jordan Williams each had 11.
The Mean Green started with two turnovers and two missed shots, but then hit three straight baskets to go ahead, 6-5. A 3-pointer by Cameron gave the visitors a brief 8-6 lead, but the Aggies were held scoreless for the next four minutes.
A Jones layup gave North Texas a 24-10 lead, capping a 16-2 run. The sophomore guard scored 12 of NT’s first 24 points on 6-for-6 shooting and added eight points in the run. The spread also showcased the Mean Green’s athleticism and size advantage over Cameron. North Texas recorded five blocks in the run, including two by Mitchell.
The crowd, waiting to erupt, was on its feet with a Jordan Williams dunk off a Mitchell assist at the end of the first half. The Mean Green entered intermission ahead, 43-20.
Cameron scored eight points in the opening four minutes of the game, but the Aggies cooled off and were held to 12 points the rest of the half. Cameron made seven field goals in the first half, including three 3-pointers.
North Texas only extended its 20-point lead in the second half, starting off with a 19-0 run. Williams opened the second period with a 3-pointer and went on to score nine points in the run. Holmen had back-to-back 3-pointers in the spread. His second gave North Texas a 42-point lead, its largest of the game at 62-20.
North Texas held the Aggies scoreless for the first eight minutes of the second half.
The Mean Green shot 45 percent from the field in the game, while holding the Aggies to 26 percent shooting.
North Texas also held the edge in rebounds (50-39) and blocks (9-2).
The Mean Green returns to action on Monday, Nov. 19 when it faces IUPUI on the NIT Season Tip-Off in Charlottesville, Va.
