DENTON (1/15/05) - The North Texas women’s basketball team defeated Florida International, 53-48, to extend its win streak to three games and go 3-0 in Sun Belt Conference play for the first time ever on Saturday night in the Super Pit.
The Mean Green (8-7, 3-0 Sun Belt) won its third straight game for the first time this season and is 3-0 for the first time ever in conference play. North Texas is now 6-2 at home and off to its best start at home since the 2001-02 season.
Junior Erika Bobo led all scorers with 17 points and has scored in double figures in all of NT’s games except for two. She also pulled down eight rebounds and recorded four steals. Sophomore Mia Ajekwu joined her in double figures with 13 points and went 9-for-11 from the free throw line. Freshman Talicia Sanders became the first North Texas player to pull down 18 rebounds since LaFreda Deckard accomplished the feat in 1995 with 20 boards.
After exchanging the lead a few times at the start of the second half, Mian Williams gave the Mean Green a permanent advantage with a three-pointer, 38-36, at 14:12. The Panthers stayed within five points of the lead for the rest of the game but were unable to retake the lead.
Natalie Mireles gave North Texas a four-point lead, 47-43, with her first three of the game at 4:12 and the NT squad hit 8-of-9 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
FIU led by as much as seven points, 16-9, in the first half before North Texas took the lead after a Williams layup, 23-22, right before intermission. Tomova gave the Panthers a halftime lead, 28-27, with a three-pointer at the buzzer.
The Mean Green forced 22 FIU turnovers and held the Panthers’ leading scorer, Milena Tomova to eight points in the game.
North Texas takes to the road for a matchup against Arkansas State on Thursday, Jan. 20 at 7 pm in Jonesboro, Ark.
