DENTON — The North Texas men's basketball team lost 56-51 to Eastern Michigan on Saturday afternoon at the Super Pit. 

The Mean Green (1-3) had three players score in double figures and had two double-digit rebounders but 19 turnovers and 14 EMU (4-0) points off those turnovers proved to be a difference as North Texas struggled against the Eagles' zone defense.

"Give Eastern Michigan credit. I thought they were the more physical team, especially around the basket," said head coach Grant McCasland. "The zone caused us problems. And if you look at the stats, 16 came from new guys and it just shows our inexperience.

"This is all in preparation for league-play and this team will get better and I'm convinced of that," he added.

North Texas made a number of adjustments at halftime and opened the second-half on a 10-3 run after redshirt sophomore Umoja Gibson hit a couple 3-pointers to get the juices flowing and the energy in the arena going. 

Gibson finished with 11 points, it's the second time in the young season he's had over 10 points. 

Thanks to Gibson's hot shooting and Deng Geu's presence around the rim, North Texas took the lead in the second half. After a put-back layup by Geu gave UNT a four-point lead with 12 minutes remaining, a second-chance 3-pointer by EMU turned the tide a bit and was one North Texas struggled to combat. 

And then down the stretch, Eastern Michigan simply made the plays they needed to make with a narrow lead. With under two minutes to go, they scored four points from under the basket and five at the free throw line. 

"We did a good job for most of the game at doubling the big man and containing them in the paint," Geu said. "So we did a good job at limiting the easy angle buckets but some of those tip ins killed us. We're in a position right now where we have to go get everything and not let any team have anything."

Geu finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds. It is the North Dakota State graduate transfer's first double-double in a Mean Green uniform. He had two double doubles last year with the Bison. He also added two blocks on Saturday..

Junior Zachary Simmons had a big game on the boards as well. Simmons finished with a season-high 12 rebounds. Over the Mean Green's last six games, dating back to last year, Simmons is averaging 10 rebounds per game. 

North Texas will be back in action on Tuesday when they host North Carolina A&T at the Super Pit for a scheduled 7 p.m. tip-off.