Women’s basketball falls to Texas State in closing seconds
North Texas junior guard Kelsey Criner (3) dribbles down the court during an exhibition against Texas Woman's University. Ryan Vance | Senior Staff Photographer
Alex Lessard | Staff Writer
Looking to win back-to-back road games for the first time in three seasons, the North Texas women’s basketball team lost 64-62 in a heartbreaker to Texas State University (2-1).
Despite getting 18 points on 8-8 shooting and 15 rebounds from senior forward Acheil Tac, the Mean Green (1-2) failed to get a shot off to potentially tie or win the game as time expired.
“I am overall disappointed with our team,” head coach Jalie Mitchell said. “I thought this was a game we should have won, and we didn’t take care of business.”
The Mean Green carried the momentum from its first victory over a ranked opponent in school history into the opening minutes, getting off to a 12-5 lead just five minutes into the game thanks to a 5-for-5 shooting effort from the field.
From there, Texas State came back to tie the game at 14-14, and each team went on multiple runs before halftime in a tight game. Yet, North Texas gave up 12 unanswered points midway through the second quarter and had an eight-point deficit to overcome headed into the second half.
“I feel like we weren’t ready to play. We had some key players that didn’t show up tonight that we needed,” Tac said. “Overall, I feel like we weren’t there to begin the game. When we started to turn it up, I feel like it was a little too late.”
In the third quarter, the Mean Green got right back into the game, outscoring the Bobcats 20-13 and cutting the deficit to one. However, the back-and-forth affair didn’t reach the height of its drama until the very end.
North Texas led 56-49 with 6:51 left, but the Bobcats offense came storming back, snatching back a four-point lead with just over two minutes remaining. The next possession, junior guard Kelsey Criner was fouled on a layup for a three-point play opportunity. She missed the free throw, but senior guard Teadra Jones grabbed the offensive board and put it in to tie the game.
After missed jumpers from both teams, Taeler Deer put in a layup to give the Bobcats a two-point lead with 5.4 seconds to go. Deer finished with a game-high 32 points. With a chance to send the game into overtime or win with a three, the Mean Green ran a play meant to attack the paint, but nearly turned the ball over and didn’t get a chance to extend the game.
“We have to be able to handle success just as well as we handle adversity. I don’t think that we did that,” head coach Jalie Mitchell said. “There’s no way we show up on Monday and be that team and then show up today and be this team.”
Although the Mean Green shot 59.5 percent from the field and made 9 of 11 free throws, defensive breakdowns late in the final minutes allowed Texas State to ice the game.
“We haven’t been consistent,” Tac said. “Once we become consistent, then we’ll be a good team.”
North Texas will return to Denton for a four-game home stand with its next matchup against the University of Arizona at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27.
Featured Image: File Photo
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