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  • Strong Defense Leads to a Mean Green Win Over Houston Baptist, 85-55

Strong Defense Leads to a Mean Green Win Over Houston Baptist, 85-55

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Basketball

Well executed defense led to a strong offensive game for the Mean Green men's basketball team who beat Houston Baptist 85-55 Thursday night at the Super Pit.

For over nine minutes in the first half, North Texas (3-3) held the Huskies (1-6) to no points. Meanwhile during that time, UNT went on a 23-0 run to turn a 6-point lead with 12:46 left in the half to a 29-point lead with 2:35 left.

"We were together as a team defensively today," said head coach Grant McCasland who picked up his 64th career win at UNT and 84th overall. "We were able then to push it in transition. We handled their zone really well and shot the ball well."

Holding down the HBU offense isn't easy as the Huskies entered Thursday's contest averaging 72.2 points per game but during that nine minute 14 second stretch in the first half, UNT forced 11 Houston Baptist turnovers and had its best offensive run of the young season.

The Mean Green forced 17 HBU turnovers in total on Thursday and held them to 33.3 percent shooting (19-57).

Piloting the Mean Green offense was senior and reigning Conference USA Player of the Year Javion Hamlet who scored a season-high 19 points and had 10 assists for his second double-double of the year.

Not too far behind in scoring was Hamlet's backcourt partner James Reese who scored 18 points behind 7-of-9 shooting.

The Mean Green shot 61 percent (36-59) for the game — their second-best percentage of the year.

Also scoring in double figures on Thursday was newcomer Terence Lewis II who finished with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting and was diving all over the court for loose balls. In just 16 minutes of action Lewis II also had six rebounds and two assists. On Tuesday versus Arkansas Pine Bluff, Lewis II had 11 points in just 12 minutes and five rebounds and three steals.

North Texas was scheduled to travel to LSU on Saturday but the Tigers were forced to postpone the game, in accordance with SEC and NCAA COVID-19 protocols. So next on the Mean Green's schedule as of Thursday is a home game versus LSU-Alexandra, which is scheduled to tip-off at 2 p.m. CT.