Box Score
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (3/8/09) The combination of Josh White and Tristan Thompson powered North Texas past Middle Tennessee 88-79 in the Sun Belt Conference quarterfinals at the Summit Arena. The pair combined for 46 points as the Mean Green (20-11) advance to the semifinals to face the top seed Western Kentucky on Monday night at 6:30 p.m.
The victory marks the third straight 20-win season for North Texas.
The Mean Green led wire-to-wire against Middle Tennessee jumping on the Blue Raiders early with a 7-2 start. MTSU (18-14) cut the lead to two points at 18-16 but Thompson ignited another North Texas run with a four-point play as he was fouled after knocking down a 3-pointer.
North Texas methodically built its lead with perfection from the free throw hitting its first 20 from the charity stripe. The Mean Green led was 10 points at the half, 40-30. The Mean Green began to stretch its lead out midway through the second half to 15 points at 59-44. North Texas kept the Blue Raiders at bay and a double figure lead until late in the game.
MTSU had one final gasp and cut the lead to 83-77 with 50 second left, but the Mean Green closed the game out at the free throw line.
Thompson ended the game with 19 points and hit 12-of-13 from the free throw line.
North Texas hit 86 percent of its free throws in the game and 32 for the game, the second highest total of the year.
The Mean Green is in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament for the second time in the past three years.
Click here for tournament info
