DENTON (2/19/07) Amber Jackson scored 16 of her team-high 19 points in the second half as the Mean Green (8-18, 5-11) picked up its biggest win of the season on Monday, knocking off the Western Kentucky Lady Toppers (19-7, 13-4) 73-65 at the Super Pit.
The game was a makeup game for a game that had to be rescheduled due to inclement weather earlier in the season.
“This was a game where everything came together for us tonight,” head coach Tina Slinker said. “I thought we executed our game plan tonight, and this is a great confidence booster for a young team.”
Jackson was one of three players along with Brittney James (16) and Erica Howard (12) to finish in double-figures for North Texas as the Mean Green took the lead at the lead at the 16:20 mark in the first half and never looked back. Tricia Lee also picked up three steals, while Talicia Sanders was big in the middle with four blocks and six boards.
Crystal Kelly led the way for the Lady Toppers, fouling out with 25 points and seven rebounds.
In the first half it was James doing the bulk of the damage for the Mean Green with 13 points, including three from beyond the arc to help push North Texas to a 31-26 lead at the break.
It was the best defensive half for the Mean Green since only allowing 20 points at New Orleans on Dec. 16 a span of 17 games.
The Mean Green built its biggest lead of the half at 23-14 when James picked off a pass and put in a layup with 9:30 to go.
The second half saw the Lady Toppers make a push after the Mean Green had extended its lead back to nine at 38-29 when Erica Howard drained only her second three-point basket of the season.
That was when Western Kentucky inserted 6-5 Sarah Shouse - who sent back three quick blocked shots - and after Kelly’s layup with 10:49 remaining, the Lady Toppers had climbed back within five points at 47-42.
Then it was Amber Jackson’s turn as the sophomore scored five points in 33 seconds that ignited a 10-0 run, eventually giving North Texas its largest lead of the night at 57-42.
The Lady Toppers would cut the score to as close as seven with 1:12 remaining, but that was as close as they would get.
The Mean Green will finish out its season’s home slate on Thursday with a 5 p.m. tip-off against Arkansas State.
