North Texas men tie best conference play start in school history
Mean Green senior guard Michael Miller drives baseline and makes a pass to junior guard Ryan Woolridge. The Mean Green defeated the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles 65-62.
The North Texas Mean Green (15-1, 3-0 Conference USA) made history Sunday in a 65-62 win over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (8-7, 0-3 C-USA) at the Super Pit.
The Mean Green are 15-1 this season, the team’s best record through the first 16 games of the season in school history. Their 3-0 conference record ties the best start to a season since the 2007-08 season. North Texas extended their home winning streak to 13 games.
“It only means something at the end of the year.. for our guys at the end of their lives they can say they had the best start in school history,” head coach Grant McCasland said. “ We don’t care… we want to win a regular season conference championship.
Four players for the Mean Green had double-digit figures tonight including senior guard Jorden Duffy and junior guard Roosevelt Smart, who scored 11 points each. Senior guard Michael Miller and redshirt freshman Umoja Gibson each added 10 points to the scoreboard.
The Mean Green took a 63-62 lead with 0:15 left in the game after a go-ahead basket from Miller.
“We ran a play but it broke down,” junior guard Ryan Woolridge said. “I planned to get it to Zach but I gave the ball to Michael to give to Zach but I gave it to Michael who went ahead and scored.”
North Texas won following McCasland’s defensive strategy which was executed by the guard play of Wooldridge, Smart and Miller.
“Their physicality and the way the started the game by rip-driving us got us on our heels,“ McCasland said. “I’m proud of our guys for getting stops the last three minutes of the game and [Miller] made a huge basket late in the game.”
UP NEXT — The Mean Green travel to the Don Haskins Center to face Texas-El Paso (5-7, 0-1 C-USA) Thursday, Jan. 10.
Featured photo: Tre’von McWilliams
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