DENTON, Texas (11/05/09) - Despite a huge comeback in the second half, the Mean Green women's basketball team was unable to rally against a TWU team that had five players in double-digits and fell 79-75 in the exhibition opener at The Super Pit Thursday evening.

North Texas was led by senior guard Brittney James, who scored a game-high 21 points, 19 of which came in the second half.

The Mean Green fell behind by as many as 20 points (54-34) midway through the second half before making a vicious run in the game's final 10 minutes.

Junior transfer Denetra Kellum cut the Pioneers lead to 73-71 with only 40 seconds remaining on a running layup. After two made free throws by TWU's Keshia Bolds, James would answer with two made free throws of her own to make the score 75-73. However, Jessica Hanna (20 points) would then split a trip at the free throw line but was able to tie up her own miss on the loose ball and give possession to the Pioneers.

TWU capitalized with a layup from Kayla Weaver to extend the lead to 78-73 with only nine seconds remaining to put the game out of reach.

Joining James in double-figures for the Mean Green was freshman Jasmine Godbolt (13 points), freshman Raquel Cuffie (11 points) and sophomore Tamara Torru (10 points).

Overall the Mean Green outrebounded the Pioneers 55-43 but committed more turnovers, 25-19.

Both teams came out flat offensively in the first half and the game's first points didn't come until the 16:13 mark when Brittney James converted a layup. The Mean Green would go on to shoot only 30 percent from the field and commit 15 turnovers in the game's first 20 minutes.

On the flipside TWU capitalized on the North Texas' miscues and built a 12-point lead, their biggest of the half, with 5:25 remaining on one of Jessica Hanna's three first half three-pointers.

The Mean Green went on a mini 5-0 run near the end of the half on back-to-back layups from newcomer Jasmine Godbolt, however, the Pioneers answered with a buzzer-beater from Kayla Weaver to extend TWU's halftime lead to 34-26.

North Texas will be back in action on Wednesday, November 11 in a home exhibition against Newman at 5 p.m.