DENTON (1/11/07) The North Texas women’s basketball team led by as many as 12 points, but Louisiana-Lafayette came from behind in the second half to defeat the Mean Green, 85-76, on Thursday night in the Super Pit.
The Ragin’ Cajuns outscored the Mean Green, 51-32, in the second half to take the lead in the series, 11-10. The Mean Green (4-11, 1-4) has now lost four straight, while UL-Lafayette (13-5, 5-2) has won its last five of six.
North Texas’s hot shooting cooled off in the second half, allowing Louisiana-Lafayette to creep back in the game. The Mean Green recorded a 51.5 shooting percentage in the first half, compared to its 39.3 percentage in the second period.
Sanetra Jackson came off the bench to score a career-high 27 points. Trisha Lee followed by tying a season high with 17 points. Erica Howard recorded her second straight game in double figures with 13 points.
North Texas hit a season-high 11 three-pointers, including seven in the first half. The Mean Green was 11-for-21 from behind the arc, another season high.
Louisiana-Lafayette took its first lead since the opening minutes of the game midway through the second half, 58-57 with a Yolanda Jones layup. Jones led all scorers with 30 points, including 20 in the second half.
Sanetra Jackson cut the UL-Lafayette lead to one, 75-74, with 1:27 left in the game, but Jones responded with a layup to prevent the Mean Green from taking the lead. North Texas was forced to foul, and UL-Lafayette made six free throws to secure the come-from-behind victory.
After hitting only one three-pointer in a loss to Denver two nights ago and posting 34 points in the paint, North Texas pulled a reversal against UL-Lafayette. The Mean Green knocked down seven three-pointers in the first half and recorded only 10 points in the paint. After recording only four points against Denver, Sanetra Jackson rebounded with 20 points in the first half, including five three-pointers.
Hot shooting by the guards led the Mean Green to a 44-34 halftime lead against Louisiana-Lafayette. North Texas shot 51.5 percent from the field and was 7-for-10 from three-point range.
Tricia Lee had a hot hand right from the start, scoring eight of NT’s first 16 points, including two three-pointers. Sanetra Jackson hit back-to-back three-pointers, leading North Texas on a 10-0 run to go ahead 26-16. UL-Lafayette cut the lead to one, but North Texas responded with another 10-0 run, including six points by Sanetra Jackson, to go ahead by 11, 36-25.
North Texas returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 18 when it travels to Miami to face FIU.
