DENTON (1/7/08) The North Texas women’s basketball could not hold an early lead, falling to Louisiana at Monroe, 65-59, on Monday night at the Super Pit.

The Mean Green loses its second straight conference game and falls to 6-9 overall and 1-2 in the Sun Belt. The Warhawks improve to 10-4 and 3-0 in the conference.

Three players led the Mean Green in double figures. Jo Hall led the team with 15 points. Erica Howard and Amber Jackson both posted consecutive games in double figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

Hall led North Texas on a 19-8 start, scoring eight of the Mean Green’s opening 19 points. The Warhawks responded with a 29-15 run, resulting with a 37-31 halftime lead. ULM went 7-for-13 from three-point range in the first half, including five in the run.

After ULM took a 10-point lead, 46-36, at the start of the second half, North Texas cut the lead to one, 50-49, with a 13-4 run. Yari Escalera made two free throws to bring NT within one point of the lead with 7:50 left in the game.

The Warhawks scored eight unanswered points to surge ahead, 58-49, with five minutes to play in the game. With two free throws, Hall cut the lead to four points, 61-57, with 1:18 left to play but that would be the closest NT would get to ULM.  ULM scored four of the final six points of the game to seal the win.

ULM shot 45 percent from the field in the game and went 8-for-18 from three-point range. The Warhawks scored only three points from the free-throw line. The Mean Green was 14-for-18 from the charity stripe but managed only one three-pointer in the game.

North Texas returns to action on Wednesday, January 9 when it faces Arkansas State on the road.