Stephen F. Austin
North Texas
Mean Green Spoils Ladyjacks In Opener
11/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2010
DENTON, Texas - After being down as much as 18 points, the Ladyjack basketball team came back to knot the game at 72 apiece late in the second half, but North Texas was able to get just enough in the final minute to edge SFA 78-75 at the Super Pit on Friday in the home opener for both teams, spoiling the debut of new Ladyjack head coach Brandon Schneider.
SFA (0-1) shot just 32.9 percent for the game and was just six for 25 from behind the arc, while the Mean Green (1-0) was able to avenge last year's 81-51 loss in Nacogdoches behind 46.9 percent shooting.
"We struggled to make shots in the first half, and a lot of that was because we need to do a better job of execution to be able to get better shots," Schneider said. "I think a lot of that was nerves early in the half and eventually we settled in and were able to make a run at them."
The Mean Green peaked their lead at 18 on a 3-pointer from Ash'Lynne Evans at the 12:16 mark, but SFA responded with a 12-0 run that included a converted four-point play from Courtney Conwright that trimmed the lead to just five with 7:12 remaining in the game. UNT responded with six straight points of their own before SFA eventually knotted things at 72 apiece with just 2:13 left in the game.
But the Ladyjacks were not able to ever take hold of the lead and after the teams traded baskets, Jasmine Godbolt put in the last of her 21 points with a layup on the right side of the lane to give UNT a two-point edge. SFA then got to the line when Jordan Ford was fouled on an attempt in the lane, but after knocking in the front end of the two shots, could not convert the second. Desiree Nelson added a pair of free throws on the other end to give the Mean Green a three-point advantage. SFA was able to get off a last-chance three-point try, but to no avail as UNT was able to hold on for just their second win ever over the Ladyajcks.
Ford led the Ladyjacks with 20 points, while Conwright and Tammara Marion finished with 14 and 12 apiece. Godbolt led all scorers with 21 and was one of four for the Mean Green to reach double figures.
"I thought we did a good job of our post defense early on, but late in the game she (Godbolt) was able to get the ball too easily in some spots that we did not want her to catch it at," Schneider said.
The Ladyjacks scored the first five points of the game, but ended up shooting just 22 percent in the first half as the Mean Green led 36-27 at the break. SFA got back seven points in the final two minutes to cut the lead back to single digits, but were hindered by 14 turnovers in the first 20 minutes. It was a 15-5 run by the Mean Green over a six-minute span of the first half that opened things up, as they were helped out by SFA going without a field goal for nearly nine minutes.
SFA will next travel to Houston on Wednesday for a clash with Rice before hosting Tulane on Nov. 20 in the home opener.
-SFA-
