DENTON – After a disappointing loss to open the season on Thursday, the UNT women's basketball team bounced back in a big way on Monday night, notching a 67-31 runaway victory over Alcorn State at The Super Pit.
 
The frontcourt duo of Anisha George and Destinee McDowell was crucial for the Mean Green, as George finished with 18 points on an efficient 9-of-11 shooting and pulled down 12 rebounds for her second double-double in as many games. She added four blocked shots. McDowell scored 14 points and added nine rebounds, matching her line from her debut on collegiate debut, and added a game-high five steals.
 
"We executed our game plan much better today," UNT head coach Jalie Mitchell said. "We came to play today. We were much more connected, I thought, on both ends. It was an ugly win, but we'll take them how we can get them. I thought (George and McDowell) were huge for us in a lot of ways."
 
The defensive effort was far from perfect, but Mitchell said she was happy with the way UNT (1-1) forced bad shots from Alcorn State (0-3). The result was a school-record for fewest points allowed in a game, which was previously from a 62-33 win at New Orleans on Jan. 5, 2006. Alcorn State shot just 18.2 percent from the field and committed 25 turnovers.
 
"I thought we did a great job defensively making them take the shots we wanted them to take," Mitchell said. "They got too many extra opportunities, and we know that, but we'll fix that. As far as our team goes, I thought everyone stepped up and contributed."
 
Freshman point guard Jazion Jackson scored four points and filled up the stat sheet otherwise with eight rebounds and a game-high eight assists.
 
The guard group of freshmen N'Yah Boyd, Jackson and Randi Thompson, along with junior college transfer Summer Jones, also got a boost from the return of redshirt junior Callie Owens, who made her season debut after battling injury. She connected on her first two shots – both 3-pointers – and ended with eight points and five rebounds.
 
"We only have two returning guards," Mitchell said. "(Owens) was out the last game, so it was just Trena (Mims) with experience. It does make a difference with things they've been through and can help lead and teach our young freshmen through. It's different when you're on the floor versus being on the bench."
 
In the end, at least one of those freshmen looked like a seasoned vet, as McDowell drew the praises of her head coach after another big game. When asked why she feels so comfortable on the floor in her first collegiate season, her answer was a simple, seasoned one, as well.
 
"I'm pretty comfortable," McDowell said. "It's just basketball. It's just doing what I love to do – play basketball. I just do the same thing – just play hard."
 
UNT returns to action on Friday at The Super Pit for a 7 p.m. tipoff against UT Arlington. Tickets can be purchased here, and for questions regarding tickets, email TicketOffice@unt.edu or call 940-565-2527.
 
QUICK HITS

• Redshirt junior guard Callie Owens (Plano, Texas) made her season debut after battling injury and made her first two shots of the season – both from beyond the arc. She finished with eight points.
• Freshman guard Randi Thompson (Plano, Texas) made her first collegiate start and finished the day with five points after leaving the game with an injury early on.
• Senior post Anisha George (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) entered the game as the nation's leading rebounder with 26 boards in UNT's season-opener, and she followed it up with 12 on Monday. She is now averaging 19 rebounds per game.
• Freshman forward Destinee McDowell (Fort Worth, Texas) had her second 14-point, 9-rebound performance in as many games.
• Junior guard Summer Jones (Edmond, Oklahoma / Seminole State) scored eight points on three field goals, including two from beyond the arc.
• Redshirt junior forward Madison Townley (Duncanville, Texas) pulled down nine rebounds and is now averaging 11 rebounds per game after finishing with 13 in the season opener.
• The 31 points allowed set a new program record for fewest points allowed by a UNT team, breaking the previous mark set on Jan. 5, 2006 in a win over New Orleans, who scored 33 points.