DENTON (11/21/03) -- Senior forward Michael DeGrate scored nine of his 12 points in the second half to help ignite the North Texas Mean Green to a season-opening 57-47 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State at the Super Pit on Friday night.
DeGrate and junior transfer forward Michael Jones, who led NT with 13 points, were the only Mean Green players to score in double figures as North Texas overcame a sluggish first half and was able to open the 2003-04 season with a win -- marking head coach Johnny Jones' third consecutive season-opening victory.
DeGrate and Jones were the offensive bright spots for the Mean Green, who shot 44 percent (21 of 47) and trailed by a point at halftime before out-scoring the Rangers by a 36-25 margin the second period. DeGrate connected on four of nine field goals and four of five three throws. He also shared rebounding honors for NT with five and led with five assists.
Jones, a transfer from McLennan Community College, was making his debut in a Mean Green uniform and hit five of seven field goals, including going two-for-two from three-point distance. He also had four rebounds and North Texas' only blocked shot.
After a slow start -- in which North Texas didn't score its first field goal until the 16:32 mark -- the Mean Green battled back and lead throughout most of the first half. After building as much as an eight-point margin, 13-5, midway through the period, the Mean Green led the lead slip away and trailed by 22-21 at halftime after Northwestern Oklahoma State (2-2) connected on a three-pointer with 1:02 remaining.
The Rangers widened the gap to as many as six points in the first three minutes of the second half, but North Texas fought back and regained the lead for good at 36-35 with 10:15 left on a lay-up by sophomore guard Scott Roniger.
Every North Texas player in uniform scored in the game, with senior Jerome Rogers adding seven points and a game-high four steals, and Justin Barnett and Roniger each finishing with six points.
NT plays its next two games on the road, beginning with a trip to Beaumont to play Lamar on Nov. 29.
