North Texas gets hot and rolls past Mercer in CBI battle

Denton, Texas

          The Mean Green came out warm and got white hot.

          North Texas didn’t play like a team a game under .500 en route to a 96-67 win Monday over Mercer in the College Basketball Invitational tournament quarterfinal.

          North Texas improved to 17-17 while Mercer’s season ended at 19-15.

          The Mean Green outshot the Bears 55.9-35.4 percent, and it was worse from 3, 41.4-19.2.

          North Texas outrebounded mercer by 6 and had 3 fewer turnovers. The Bears had a subpar night sharing the ball, with only 8 assists on 23 baskets. North Texas has 19 assists on 33 makes, and had 9 fewer turnovers than assists.

          The Mean Green also had 8 blocks, 4 from Ryan Woolridge.

          Mercer scored first, and the game was tied at 4, and that was about it. North Texas took its first double-digit lead five minutes into the game at 18-6.

          Both teams went into a shooting funk, though the Bears did get within 8 three times around the midway portion of the first half.

          Just like that, though, North Texas started taking over, doubling up Mercer at the 3:17 mark of the first half, 40-20.

          It was 47-31 at halftime, the margin cut by two early and then at 14 again at the 12:45 mark on two Desmond Ringer free throws.

          That’s where Mercer’s comeback ended, the margin growing to 25 in a little more than three minutes.

          North Texas had an 8-point edge in points off turnovers, 14 more points in the paint and 10 more fast-break points in handing the Bears their worst loss of the season by 5 points and worst loss since Clemson’s 90-47 win on Dec. 10, 2016.

          The 96 points allowed is a season high and most surrendered since a 98-96 triple-overtime loss on Dec. 22, 2016 to LaSalle. It was the highest opposing total in regulation since Vanderbilt’s 99-59 win on Dec. 21,2009.

          Roosevelt Smart and Jorden Duffy each had 31 points for North Texas.

          Mercer seniors Jordan Strawberry and Ringer went out in style.

          Strawberry had 25 points, hitting half of his shots, while Ringer had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

          Ria’n Holland played in his second straight game back from injury, but had only two points, breaking a streak of 17 straight games in double figures.

          Strawberry departs with 1,200 points and 494 assists, 18th on the program list in points and third in assists.

          It was also the final game for seniors Stephon Jelks, Rashad Lewis, and Demetre Rivers.