NORTH TEXAS vs. HOUSTON BAPTIST
The Super Pit / Dec. 15, 2008
GAME NOTES / QUOTES
- NT won its ninth consecutive home game, winning at home for the 21st time in the last 23 home contests.
- NT improves to 7-2, matching last year’s start and marking the 3rd straight year for the Mean Green to open the season at 7-2.
- The Mean Green slapped away a season-high nine blocked shots in the game, the most since the 2006-07 season. It was the most since Dec. 30, 2006, when NT finished with 11 blocks against Denver.
George Odufuwa’s game-high three blocks equal his season high, which he’s accomplished twice before this season.
- Dominique Johnson connected on 8-of-11 field goals, including a pair of three-pointers to lead four Mean Green players in double figures with a career-best 20 points. It was his fourth game this season to score in double digits, but marked the first time in NT’s last four games for him to produce in double figures.
- Johnson also established a new career-high with three steals in the game. In NT’s previous two games, Dominique registered two steals in each outing.
- Collin Dennis shot just 4-of-10 from the floor but connected on 5-of-5 free throws to finish with 14 points. It was his fifth double-figure game this season. Dennis also dished out a career-high seven assists.
- Also scoring in double figures was Josh White, ending with 13 points to snap a streak of four consecutive games of being held to single digits. White led the Mean Green from behind the three-point line, connecting on 3-of-4 shots from long range.
- Tristan Thompson finished with 10 points marking his fifth straight game to contribute in double figures.
Checking into the game in the final minute, redshirt sophomore Collin Mangrum saw his first action in more than a year, completing a long battle against various injuries that forced him to sit out the entire 2007-08 season. The last game Mangrum played in was in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament against Memphis.
- Kedrick Hogans and Eric Tramiel each contributed two blocked shots to NT’s nine total rejections. For Hogans, it was just the second time this season he’s had multiple blocked shots in a game. For Tramiel, it marked the third game this season in which he’s blocked two or more shots.
HEAD COACH Johnny Jones Quotes
“We are always excited to get a win. We stress to the kids that it is more important how we win games. We knew that Houston Baptist would be a tough opponent. They have played a very difficult schedule. We may have had some players look at their record and not come as focused as we would have liked, but the good thing about this team is that we had other players who were focused and helped us pick up this win.”
“We must now focus our attention to Sun Belt Conference play and we start out against a very tough team in Louisiana (Lafayette). We have shown signs at times where we have shown we can play and then there other times where we have not. Playing on the road against Lafayette will be a huge test for us. We must do a better job of closing out opponents and take better care of the basketball.”
On Dominque Johnson
“He is an excellent offensive player. He shoots a very high percentage, but what often goes unnoticed is how good he is on the defensive end. He brings a great deal of energy to the floor. “
