Women's Basketball

DENTON, Texas (1/16/10) - The North Texas women's basketball game came down to the final basket, and Arkansas State's Quinishia McDowell made a layup with 19 seconds left to give the Red Wolves a 77-76 victory over the Mean Green on Saturday afternoon at the Super Pit.

The Mean Green falls to 5-14 and 2-6 in the Sun Belt, while ASU improves to 7-10 and 2-4 in the conference. The Red Wolves sweep the series against North Texas this season and extend their overall series lead to 17-8.

In a tightly-contested game, North Texas and Arkansas State exchanged the lead 16 times and tied the score 12 times. In the final two minutes, the lead changed five times. A layup by Denetra Kellum gave North Texas its final lead, 76-75, with 22 seconds left in the game.

Brittany James led four players in double figures with 15 points. She was one rebound shy of double-double with nine boards. Caitlin Hawkins scored a career-high 10 points, and Kellum added 10 points as well. Jasmine Godbolt was two rebounds shy of a double-double with 10 points and eight boards. Kellum scored NT's final six points of the game.

Neither team led by more than five points in the second half. Hawkins opened the second half like she did the first; with a three-pointer, quickly tying the game. She started the team on a 10-5 run. After a Godbolt jumper at 14:57, North Texas held a five-point lead, 48-43.

Arkansas State took back the lead at the 11:39 mark and held it until free throws by Kellum put North Texas ahead, 74-73, with 35 seconds left. ASU had to take the lead back twice more to seal the win.

Ebonie Jefferson led the Red Wolves with 17 points. She led four players in double figures. Both teams shot 43 percent from the field. ASU held the edge in free throws, 66 percent to NT's 53 percent shooting.

Similar to the second half, ASU held the lead for most of the first period until the final minutes. The Red Wolves led by as many as nine points, 23-14, midway through the first period. A free throw by James gave North Texas its final lead of the first half, 34-33, with 56 seconds left in the half. ASU scored four of the next six points to enter half ahead, 38-35.

Ten of the Mean Green's 11 players that saw action in tonight's game scored points.

North Texas returns to action on on Wednesday, Jan. 20 when it faces South Alabama at 7 p.m. in the Super Pit.