Box Score
MONROE, La.- History was made in Monroe as the North Texas men's basketball team won its eighth straight game and the Sun Belt West Division title with a 74-71 win over ULM. The win clinches no worse than the No. 2 seed for the Mean Green (21-8, 13-5) in the SBC Tournament. A loss by Middle Tennessee later tonight and North Texas wins the regular season title and guarantees itself a post-season berth.
North Texas completed a perfect month of February with an 8-0 record and won the West Division title for the first time since joining the Sun Belt Conference.
The Mean Green was able to outlast the Warhawks in a defensive struggle with 18 points from Josh White while George Odufuwa chipped in with his 13th double-double of the season with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
Clutch play by Alzee Williams midway through the second half gave North Texas some breathing room. Williams, coming into the game with only three 3-pointers on the year, knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to give North Texas a 56-47 lead with six minutes remaining.
ULM (11-18, 6-12) kept chipping away as Dynile Forbes hit a 3-pointer with 4:45 left to make it 59-53. Tristan Thompson hit perhaps the biggest shot of the day as he converted a four-point play after getting fouled while knocking down a 3-pointer with 4:28 left in the game. Thompson's four-point play made it 63-53 North Texas.
ULM kept chipping away as they cut the Mean Green's lead to four points late in the game, but North Texas iced the game at the line.
It was a sluggish start to the game for both teams as Tramiel picked up two fouls in the early going for North Texas and the game was tied at 2-2 five minutes in. The Mean Green opened things up with an 8-0 run to take a 12-7 lead with 9:50 left in the half.
North Texas extended their lead to 11 at 21-10 after a 3-pointer by Thompson and free throws by White. ULM cut into the lead following a three-point play and a 3-pointer by Forbes to make it 24-18.
Josh White powered a late 13-5 first half run for North Texas. White first knocked home a 3-pointer and then with four seconds remaining in the half he converted a three-point to give the Mean Green a 34-23 lead at the break.
The Mean Green has an opening round bye in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and will play on Sunday, March 7 in Hot Springs.
