Nov. 21, 2007

Box Score

UT Arlington matched its best start in school history, surviving a late run by North Texas to defeat the Mean Green, 72-64 in front of 1,289 at Texas Hall Wednesday night.

UTA improved to 4-0, its best start since 1992-93. Senior guard Rod Epps led the Mavs with 14 points. Larry Posey and Jermaine Griffin added 12 and Anthony Vereen chipped in 11. North Texas was led by Keith Wooden with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Josh White (15), Tristan Thompson (11) and Quincy Williams (10) also scored in double figured.

"We played our best defensive game of the season," said UT Arlington Head Men's Basketball Coach Scott Cross. "We took pride in every possession and held off a very good team. North Texas is a team capable of winning 20 games.

"Our crowd was tremendous. It was the largest crowd we have had since winning conference back in 2003-04 and they made a huge difference. The band makes a huge difference and the atmosphere was pure college basketball."

Sophomore guard Rog'er Guignard had a career high seven steals and was one off the school record of eight held by Bill Washington and Leonard Wilson.

UT Arlington led by as many as 14 in the second half before UNT whittled down the lead to eight, 50-42, after a Josh White driving lay up with 9:11 to play in the game. Cardell Hunter cut through the lane for a lay up to stretch the lead back to 10, 52-42, with 7:58 left in the game. A 6-0 run with lay ups by Posey, Moffitt and Epps gave UTA a 58-44 cushion.

UT Arlington made 6-of-6 free throws in the final 1:03 of the game to secure the win.

The Mavs were held to one field goal in the opening eight minutes of the game as UNT took an 8-2 lead after a lay up by Dez Willingham with 12:25 left in the first half. UTA outscored UNT 28-13 the rest of the half as Vereen came off the bench to lead the Mavs with 10 points after starting center Jermaine Griffin was whistled with two fouls in the first two minutes of the half and did not return until the second half.

- utamavs.com -