Troy University Athletics
Trojans Fall To North Texas
2/16/2008 6:00:00 AM | Basketball (M)
DENTON, Texas ? Collin Dennis scored a career-high 34 points to lead the University of North Texas to a 90-64 victory over Troy University at the Super Pit in Sun Belt Conference action Saturday night.
North Texas (16-9, 7-7 SBC) avenged a 91-88 overtime loss to the Trojans in early January. The Mean Green jumped ahead 16-5 to open the game by forcing a pair of turnovers and holding the Trojans without a three-point field goal in the opening minutes.
A three-pointer by Kenny Ware cut the North Texas lead to eight, but Adam McCoy answered with a three for the Mean Green and the Trojans never got closer than 10 again.
The Mean Green lead grew to as many as 19 points before North Texas settled for a 41-25 advantage at the half. North Texas pushed its lead to 25 points for much of the second half before earning its largest lead, 26 points, at the final horn.
“The lack of confidence in shooting the wide open three is so frustrating,” Trojans coach Don Maestri said. “It is frustrating for the players, for the fans and for the coaches as well. We knew that we had to shoot the ball well early to get some confidence, but we missed shot after shot, and they were wide open. It is hard to believe we could miss so many open shots.”
For the game the Trojans hit just 29.4 percent (20-of-68) from the floor in the game while the Mean Green shot 49.3 percent from the floor, including 42.9 percent from three-point range. North Texas also outrebounded Troy 52-33 while outscoring the Trojans 40-8 in the paint.
In addition to Dennis' 34 points, Tristan Thompson added 13 points, while Ben Bell and Quincy Williams added 10 each in the victory.
Ware led the Trojans with a career-high 16 points, hitting five three-pointers in the loss. Justin Jonus and Brandon Hazzard added 10 points each for Troy (10-16, 3-12 SBC).
“Kenny plays hard, just doesn't have a lot of playing time this year,” Maestri said. “Maybe he will catch fire and feel more comfortable. He does such a good job of rebounding and that is why he is out there. He showed tonight that he can also give us a lift offensively as well.
The loss was the fifth consecutive defeat for the Trojans, and their fifth consecutive road loss. The five straight losses is the longest such streak for the Trojans since December of the 2004-05 season. Troy has not lost as many as six straight games since an eight-game skid early in the 1997-98 campaign.
“We are going to have the most intense week of practice we have had all year,” Maestri said. “We are not going to roll over, I don't care if I have to play the managers. We are going to play hard, and we are going to work hard this week. We have to show the will to win. We have to find out how tough these guys are because we know that tough times will eventually end.”
Troy will be off for a week before playing the first of two consecutive home games next Saturday, February 23, against Florida International at Trojan Arena. That game is slated for a 7:30 p.m. start.
North Texas (16-9, 7-7 SBC) avenged a 91-88 overtime loss to the Trojans in early January. The Mean Green jumped ahead 16-5 to open the game by forcing a pair of turnovers and holding the Trojans without a three-point field goal in the opening minutes.
A three-pointer by Kenny Ware cut the North Texas lead to eight, but Adam McCoy answered with a three for the Mean Green and the Trojans never got closer than 10 again.
The Mean Green lead grew to as many as 19 points before North Texas settled for a 41-25 advantage at the half. North Texas pushed its lead to 25 points for much of the second half before earning its largest lead, 26 points, at the final horn.
“The lack of confidence in shooting the wide open three is so frustrating,” Trojans coach Don Maestri said. “It is frustrating for the players, for the fans and for the coaches as well. We knew that we had to shoot the ball well early to get some confidence, but we missed shot after shot, and they were wide open. It is hard to believe we could miss so many open shots.”
For the game the Trojans hit just 29.4 percent (20-of-68) from the floor in the game while the Mean Green shot 49.3 percent from the floor, including 42.9 percent from three-point range. North Texas also outrebounded Troy 52-33 while outscoring the Trojans 40-8 in the paint.
In addition to Dennis' 34 points, Tristan Thompson added 13 points, while Ben Bell and Quincy Williams added 10 each in the victory.
Ware led the Trojans with a career-high 16 points, hitting five three-pointers in the loss. Justin Jonus and Brandon Hazzard added 10 points each for Troy (10-16, 3-12 SBC).
“Kenny plays hard, just doesn't have a lot of playing time this year,” Maestri said. “Maybe he will catch fire and feel more comfortable. He does such a good job of rebounding and that is why he is out there. He showed tonight that he can also give us a lift offensively as well.
The loss was the fifth consecutive defeat for the Trojans, and their fifth consecutive road loss. The five straight losses is the longest such streak for the Trojans since December of the 2004-05 season. Troy has not lost as many as six straight games since an eight-game skid early in the 1997-98 campaign.
“We are going to have the most intense week of practice we have had all year,” Maestri said. “We are not going to roll over, I don't care if I have to play the managers. We are going to play hard, and we are going to work hard this week. We have to show the will to win. We have to find out how tough these guys are because we know that tough times will eventually end.”
Troy will be off for a week before playing the first of two consecutive home games next Saturday, February 23, against Florida International at Trojan Arena. That game is slated for a 7:30 p.m. start.
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