TROY, Ala. (1/03/08) The North Texas women’s basketball team couldn’t control Amy Lewis and a furious second half rush from Troy, falling to the Trojans 73-62 on Thursday night.

Lewis lit up the Mean Green (6-8, 1-1) for 23 points to give the Trojans (7-6, 1-2) their first Sun Belt win of the year. Troy pulled away in the second on a 9-0 run after a deadlocked opening frame.

The loss is North Texas’ first in the six-game series against the Trojans.

The Trojans connected on 50 percent of their shots and held the Mean Green to 37 percent from the floor. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, combining for 9-of-34 shooting from downtown.

The two clubs went into the half tied at 30 apiece after a tug-of-war opening frame. The lead changed hands five times and the score tied on seven occasions.

Four different players hit five early buckets to spark North Texas to a quick start. A couple of jumpers from Amber Jackson extended the Mean Green lead to 10-4.

Jackson gave the Trojans fits down low, reaching double figures in the game’s opening minutes. However, the Troy guard combo of Lewis and Kylie Morrissy had an answer with seven and six points respectively at the break.

The offensive glass was a friend to the Mean Green, which scored 15 second chance points off of a 13-7 advantage on the offensive boards. NT held the Trojans without an offensive rebound in the first half.

Jackson led the Mean Green scoring efforts with 16 points. Erica Howard and Brittney James weren’t far behind with 15 and 13 points respectively.

NT returns home to continue Sun Belt play against Louisiana at Monroe on Jan. 7 at 5 p.m.