DENTON (2/17/05) Junior Erika Bobo scored 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the North Texas women’s basketball team to a 61-51 victory against Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday night at the Super Pit. The win places the Mean Green in a tie with the Ragin’ Cajuns for the top spot in the Sun Belt Conference West Division.

North Texas (12-12, 7-5 Sun Belt) leads the home series with Louisiana-Lafayette, 6-2, and now trails, 9-8, in the overall matchups.

Bobo converted the opening layup of the game and led the Mean Green on a 14-8 run to start the first half. She scored 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the first 20 minutes as North Texas entered the break ahead, 31-28. The Mean Green held the advantage on the boards, 31-16.

The Mean Green went on a 12-2 run midway through the second half to extend its lead, 49-38. A jumper by Erica Howard put North Texas ahead by eleven points, 53-42, with 7:46 left, and the Mean Green would hold  a double-digit lead for the rest of the game.

Talicia Sanders recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. The Mean Green outrebounded the Ragin’ Cajuns, 50-26, in the game. North Texas also scored 15 points off 21 ULL turnovers.

Louisiana-Lafayette held leads briefly in the first half but was never able to extend it by more than two points. ULL’s leading scorer, Anna Petrakova, was held to six points in the game.

North Texas takes to the road for three games to close out the regular season. The Mean Green plays at Denver on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 3 pm.