Trojans Fall to North Texas

Saturday, February 16

Troy, Ala.

7:30 p.m.

Troy University

North Texas

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

2/16/2013 10:00:00 PM | Basketball (M)

By: Joe St. Pierre

Box Score

TROY, Ala. – The Troy men's basketball team (11-16, 6-10) was defeated at home by North Texas (10-18, 5-12), 63-61, on Saturday night. The Mean Green's Jordan Williams was on fire all night, hitting seven 3-pointers and scoring 25 points.

“We could never get into a flow offensively,” said head coach Don Maestri, who currently has 499 wins. “We struggled all night in getting a rhythm, but credit goes to North Texas on throwing us off a step.”

It was a back and forth game with 16 lead changes and 12 ties. Neither team led by more than seven points on the night.

Troy was down by six points with 2:23 to play, but clawed its way back to get to within one just over a minute later, behind a 3-pointer by Hunter Williams and a layup by Deonata Jethroe. Troy had an opportunity to tie or win, getting the ball back, down by two, with eight seconds left, but the final shot went begging.

Williams finished with 21 points, his second straight game with at least 20 points. Jethroe scored 10 points and grabbed 10 boards, becoming the first Trojan with a double-double at Trojan Arena.

Williams was 9-of-11 from the field on the night, including 7-of-9 from range. The Trojans held Tony Mitchell to just nine points and eight boards.

Troy was 23-of-54 from the field (42.6 %) and 6-of-15 from range (40.0 %). The Mean Green shot 51.1 percent (23-of-45) from the field and 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from beyond the arc. Troy outrebounded North Texas 30-28.

Maestri will make his second attempt at 500 wins next week, as Troy hits the road for a pair of Sun Belt games against Louisiana-Lafayette and Arkansas State. The Trojans will take on the Ragin' Cajuns on Thursday, February 21 and the Red Wolves on Saturday, February 23.

For more information on Troy Athletics, be sure to visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or on Facebook at Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.