The game between North Texas and Sam Houston State was a game where the winner won by default. Neither team seemed to be in the game and each appeared to be doing their best to give the game to the other team. Even the 3,313 fans were not in the game, well the student section was but for most of the time there wasn’t much excitement coming from the stands for the team to feed on.

In the end it was a three point wide open shot by SHSU that bounced out of the rim for the tie with zero seconds left that gave the game to North Texas 53-50.  

“We had some good looks that didn’t go down” stated Head Basketball Coach Johnny Jones after the victory. North Texas went 19 of 55 from the field for a 34.5% shooting average and 3 for 17 from three point range for a 17.6% average. They didn’t fare much better from the charity stripe hitting 12 of 18 for 66.7%. SHSU was 43.9% from the field, 38.9% for three point shots and 58.3% on free throws.  

In the paint North Texas out-scored SHSU 26-18.

A lot of North Texas shots were open but they seemed to hit iron and bounce every which way but through the net. Shooting did not keep North Texas in the contest but other facets of the game did. They out-rebounded SHSU 37-28 on the offensive side of the boards.  North Texas was able to turn turnovers into points scoring 25 points off turnovers to 14 points for the Bearkats. The bench was responsible for 16 points while SHSU’s bench accounted for seven.

On the defensive side of the floor SHSU out-rebounded North Texas 21-19.

Jones was concerned about his team not getting the ball to fall. However he said the season is young and they are simply going “keep shooting them in practice and I can assure you they will start going down. “