SMU's Last Chance Gets De-railed, Clangs off Rim at North Texas
DENTON, Texas — Regardless of the outcome Thursday night, SMU has missed a good rivalry matchup against North for 21 years. The Mustangs had a shot to win a physical game at The Super Pit, but Jalen Smith's three-pointer to win it at the buzzer clanged off in a 68-66 loss to the Mean Green.
North Texas is now tied for the AAC lead with Memphis and the Ponies fell a game behind. In a back-and-forth game, you got the feeling early this one was going to come down to the very end and it did.
SMU's play got fouled up in the paint, though. Zhuric Phelps got the ball in the lane and, falling down, rolled it to Smith. He ended up with a decent look, but probably a little higher percentage shot was the plan to get it to overtime. It clanged off the front of the rim and the game was over.
But the big story in the game was the feeling an opportunity for what could have been a really good rivalry in the DFW Metroplex was lost for 21 years over whatever reason. Now that UNT is in the ACC for the Mustangs' final year, they got on the floor and delivered as much of a classic as possible with an absence of playing that long.
CJ Noland hit a 3-pointer with just under two minutes left and Jason Edwards added two of his 22 points from the free throw line in the final minute for UNT that finally gave them a little cushion in a game that had been incredibly tight throughout.
Both teams' largest leads were 5 points in the first half. Nobody could get a big run and it was basically a fistfight in the lane on nearly every possession.
Edwards shot 8 for 18 (3 for 9 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free throw line for the Mean Green (12-6, 5-1 American Athletic Conference). Robert Allen scored 12 points and added 10 rebounds. John Buggs III had 12 points and finished 4 of 4 from 3-point range.
Phelps finished with 22 points for the Mustangs (13-6, 4-2). Tyreek Smith added 13 points for SMU. In addition, Chuck Harris finished with eight points and four assists.
North Texas went into halftime ahead of SMU 33-32. Edwards scored 11 points in the half. Buggs' 3-pointer with 4:46 remaining in the second half gave North Texas the lead for good at 56-53.
Both teams play again on Sunday. North Texas visits Florida Atlantic and SMU travels to play Wichita State.
PONY EXPRESS:
MUSTANGS LOSE KEY PROTECTOR FOR PRESTON STONE
PONIES FINALLY FIND MISSING INGREDIENT NEEDED TO BECOME ELITE TEAM
SLOW START BY TEMPLE MAY HAVE CAUSED MUSTANGS TO RELAX, ALLOW OWLS BACK IN GAME
SMU HAS EVOLVED INTO AAC TITLE CONTENDERS, NCAA TOURNAMENT THREAT
