DENTON, Texas (11/11/09) - After a slow start the Mean Green women's basketball team used a big second half to run away from the Newman Lady Jets, 88-57 Wednesday evening at the Super Pit. Junior transfer Niq'ky Hughes (Texas) scored a game-high 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting in 21 minutes of play and Tamara Torru pitched in 12 points to help the Mean Green pick up their first win of the preseason.

North Texas' defense held the Lady Jets to only 36 percent shooting in the second half and forced a staggering 42 turnovers at night's end. Four members of the Mean Green (James, Torru, Chynna Burwell and Denetra Kellum) had four steals a piece.

That defensive effort fueled the Mean Green offense, leading to 43 points off the miscues. North Texas also dominated down low by outscoring Newman 38-22 points in the paint.

The Mean Green outscored Newman 44-21 in the second half and used a 16-6 run in the first seven minutes of the half to cruise to victory.

Newman's Melanie Brockleman led the Lady Jets with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field.

North Texas struggled shooting the ball from the field in the first half, connecting on only 37 percent from the field. However, the Mean Green full-court defense forced 16 Newman turnovers which North Texas converted into 19 points.

One area North Texas will have to address going into the weekend is free throw shooting. North Texas made only 23-of-43 from the charity stripe (53.5 percent).

The Mean Green will begin the regular season this Saturday when they travel to Nacogdoches to take on the Ladyjacks at 7:30 p.m.