Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
-96,02 CUSA
North Texas
-94,21 CUSA
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Hot-shooting North Texas too much for Blue Raiders
1/8/2022 7:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
DENTON, Texas – A hot-shooting North Texas team was too much for Middle Tennessee on Saturday as the Mean Green emerged victorious 70-63 at the Super Pit. Josh Jefferson led the Blue Raiders with 19 points as North Texas shot 58.8 percent (10-17) from behind the 3-point line.
"You've got to be disappointed [with the loss], and we are," head coach Nick McDevitt said. "But coming off a 12-day layoff to make this road trip… I'm just proud of our effort but disappointed in the end result."
The foul bug bit the Blue Raiders once again in the middle of the second half. Middle Tennessee was whistled for six fouls in a stretch of less than two minutes from the 10:48 mark until 9 minutes remained in regulation. Those fouls led to three North Texas free throws and the subsequent bonus situation gave the home team six more points from the charity stripe over the next four minutes.
The game was tight over the course of the first half. The Blue Raiders roared back from an early 8-0 deficit, using their length and defensive pressure to force eight North Texas turnovers. After a tightly contested 3-pointer by the Mean Green's Tylor Perry in the closing seconds of the half, the home squad ended the first half with a win.
Perry finished the game with 25 points, including another tough turnaround three with a defender in his face, sparking the Mean Green down the stretch.
Donovan Sims was 3-for-6 from the floor in the second half, leading MT with nine points in the final 20 minutes, but North Texas had too much left in the tank on its home court. Sims' seven rebounds led the team to go along with his 12 points.
The Blue Raiders return home to face Florida Atlantic on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Game Notes
- North Texas extended its winning streak over the Blue Raiders to four games.
- Middle Tennessee is just the second team since November 26 to score more than 60 points against the Mean Green.
- Jefferson has now scored in double figures in four straight games, his longest such streak of the season.
