BEAUMONT, Tex. (11/29/03) -- Despite getting a game-high 24 points from Marqus Mitchell and having three players score in double figures, the North Texas men’s basketball team (1-1) couldn’t overcome a sluggish start and a fast-paced Lamar (3-0) offense in an 88-72 setback to the Cardinals on Saturday night.
Mitchell scored 15 of his 24 points in the second half, helping North Texas cut a 23-point deficit to just nine points with 5:20 remaining in the game. Trailing 67-76 at that point, Lamar was able to regroup and hold the Mean Green to five points the rest of the way.
Michael Jones had a strong second half as well for North Texas, scoring 11 of his 13 points after the intermission period. DeGrate added 10 points for North Texas and tied Will Smith for the team-high in rebounds with seven.
The Cardinals 57 percent shooting percentage and six shots made from beyond the arc resulted in 53 first-half points and an 18-point advantage going into the intermission period. Lamar jumped out to a double-figure lead within the first five minutes and didn’t let the Mean Green get any closer than 11 points the remainder of the opening 20 minutes.
Lamar shot 47 percent for the game, while NT connected on 37 percent of its shots. Both teams finished with 40 rebounds, but the Mean Green committed six more turnovers.
North Texas hit 11 three-point shots and went a perfect 9-9 from the charity stripe. The Cardinals hit just 65 percent of their free throws, but made 17 more trips to the line.
Lamar had four players score at least 13 points, including Gil Goodrich with a team-high 21. Jason Grant finished with a double-double, recording 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
North Texas is back in action Dec. 3 at Southern University. The game is scheduled to get under way at 7 p.m.
