UNT Women Fall To Alabama In Triple OT
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – In an epic marathon battle, the North Texas (0-3) women’s basketball team came up short as Alabama (4-0) outlasted the Mean Green 88-83 in triple overtime. North Texas rallied twice from 15 points down in regulation to send the game in the first triple overtime in school history, but couldn’t overcome three players fouling out and an 8-3 Alabama run in the triple overtime.
“I’m very proud of this team, they gave great effort tonight but it just wasn’t enough,” said coach Mike Petersen. “We had our chances to win it tonight and I’m disappointed for our team because they gave such a great effort and deserved to be rewarded for their effort.”
Trailing 59-46 with less than eight minutes remaining, North Texas closed the game on a 15-2 run to send the game into overtime. BreAnna Dawkins, who scored a career-high 18 points, sent the game into overtime with two free throws with 32 seconds remaining.
In the first overtime, North Texas took its first lead of the game on a lay-up by Laura McCoy with 1:16 left. McCoy finished the game with 16 points. Alabama tied the game back up and sent into the double overtime with two free throws from Daisha Simmons with 2.5 seconds left.
In double OT, Alabama raced out to four-point lead at 75-71, but North Texas answered back and took a one-point lead on a 3-pointer from McCoy, 76-75. The Crimson Tide tied things up again at 78-78 with 42 seconds left in double OT, but Dawkins gave North Texas the lead again with a basket with 19 seconds left.
Alabama tied the score on a basket by Simmons with seven seconds left in the double overtime. Dawkins had a chance to win it in the second OT, but fouled out with two seconds left on a charge.
In the triple overtime Alabama scored the first five points and never looked back. North Texas got to within two points at 85-83 on a three-point play from freshman Loryn Goodwin, but Alabama scored the final three points for the win.
Goodwin ended the night with her first career double-double with a career-high 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Alabama raced out to an early 17-6 on back-to-back 3-pointers from Shafaontaye Myers six minutes into the game. North Texas battled right back with 13-1 fueled by Goodwin who scored seven straight points during the run to make it a 22-19 game. Alabama took a six-point lead into the break at 37-31.
North Texas is back in action on Friday as they play in the New Mexico Thanksgiving Tournament. They Mean Green faces New Mexico in the first game on Friday night.
