DENTON — The North Texas men's basketball team led for 24 minutes against the Mid-American Conference preseason favorite Buffalo Monday night, but the Bulls showed their experience late as they pulled away from the back-to-back defending Conference USA champ Mean Green to win at the Super Pit, 69-66.
North Texas was led once again by newcomer Tylor Perry who scored a game-high 18 points and made late play heroics to nearly tie the game with a final shot.
"Late in the game we looked like a team trying to find a way to win and they looked like an experienced team that knew how they were going to win," said head coach Grant McCasland. "That being said I liked our fight tonight and I know if we stick together we'll be really good soon."
UNT (1-1), which features nine newcomers this season, took its largest lead of the game — 11 points — with 8:51 remaining. But the Bulls (1-1), who return three players that averaged over 10 points per game for UB a season ago, found ways to be tough, attack the paint and burry rhythm 3-pointers. Buffalo ended the game making nine straight field goals and took the deciding lead with 3:12 left in the game.
"The giving up middle drives and rhythm threes, that's not who we are nor who we will be," McCasland said. "We've got a lot of new pieces and I think late in the game we were trying to figure it out."
Despite all that North Texas had a good chance to send it into overtime. Down by three points with eight seconds remaining, Perry stole the Buffalo inbound and ran to the corner for a would be game-tying 3-pointer. But the 5-foot-11 guard was swarmed by three Bulls defenders who made it nearly impossible for him to see the rim. However, senior Thomas Bell came flying in to bat the rebound to an open JJ Murray who had a cleaner look at the hoop but was unable to send the game into overtime.
UNT made eight 3-pointers Monday night, five of which came off the hands of Mardrez McBride who finished with 17 points. It's the most points the second-year UNT guard has scored since last year's season opener and is the seventh straight game he's scored in double figures.
"We know what we have to get better at," McBride said. "We have to be tougher and play smarter defense. We know from experience of last year that it's a long season and we believe in everyone in that locker room that we'll keep getting better. We'll get better from this."
North Texas will be back at it quickly as they host UT Arlington Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Super Pit.
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November 16, 2021 at 11:05AM
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Men's Basketball Drops Close One To Buffalo - University of North Texas Athletics - Mean Green Sports
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