Box Score
Postgame Notes

DENTON, Texas (1/12/13) - The North Texas men's basketball team jumped out to an early lead and then held off a late Jaguars run to win its second conference game of the season, 66-56, against South Alabama on Saturday night at the Super Pit.

The Mean Green improves to 7-11 and 2-5 in the Sun Belt, while the Jaguars fall to 8-8 and 5-3 in the conference. North Texas leads the all-time series, 14-7, and has won the last four meetings against the Jaguars.

With its largest active roster in the last three games, North Texas came out of the gates with high energy and took a big early lead against South Alabama. A season-high 29 made free-throws, including 11 down the stretch, helped seal the win.

North Texas jumped out to a 19-point lead, 26-7, in the opening 10 minutes of play. After entering half ahead by 14, North Texas had to withstand a late South Alabama rally to hold onto the win.

All five Mean Green starters scored in double-figures for the Mean Green. Tony Mitchell had another big game against South Alabama, scoring 14 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. He also had four blocks and is three shy of setting the career record at North Texas.

Point guard P.J. Hardwick tied for the team lead with a season-high 14 points. Ten of those points came from the free-throw line, including seven in the final minutes of the game. Jordan Williams added 13, and Roger Franklin finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Alzee Williams played all 40 minutes and did not turn over the ball once. He scored 11 points and dished out two assists.

Two free-throws by Mitchell gave North Texas its largest lead of the game, 49-28, with 11:22 left in the game. South Alabama responded with a 21-6 run to cut the lead to six points, 55-49, with 1:55 on the clock.

Augustine Rubit had seven points in the run for South Alabama. He finished with 12 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes of play. He got into foul trouble early in the game and was held to three points in the first half.

Mitchell and Franklin hit the only field goals in the final eight minutes of the game for the Mean Green. The Jaguars ran out of time and were forced to foul, and North Texas made 11 of 12 free throws to hold onto the win.

North Texas jumped out to a 12-4 start behind six points by Mitchell. The preseason conference player of the year capped the run with two made free throws and a dunk off a Mean Green steal.

The Mean Green shot 61 percent in the opening eight minutes to go ahead, 22-6. Mitchell, Franklin, Alzee Williams and Jordan Williams combined for all of the Mean Green points. The starting five scored all but two of NT's 36 halftime points.

North Texas scored 26 points in the opening 10 minutes but could not keep up the torrid pace for the second half of the first period. USA outscored the Mean Green, 15-10, in the last 10 minutes of the first half and held NT to just two field goals. North Texas shot 40 percent in the first half to enter half ahead, 36-22.

Tony Mitchell opened the second half with a resounding dunk off a feed by Hardwick. He led the Mean Green on a 13-6 run to give North Texas its largest lead of the game, 49-28.

North Texas finished the game shooting 35 percent from the field. USA was held to 28.1 percent shooting. The Jaguars were 5-of-21 from three-point range.

North Texas returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 17 on the road against FIU.