Box Score

DENTON, Texas – Roger Franklin scored all of his game-high 12 points in the first half while Alzee and Jordan Williams combined for 17 points in the second half to lead North Texas to a rugged 45-40 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday at the Super Pit.

All-America candidate Tony Mitchell scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds for North Texas (5-6), which won despite shooting 18-for-61 from the floor (29.5 percent) and 0-for-11 from behind the 3-point line. Southeastern, which will face No. 5-ranked Florida on Wednesday, fell to 1-7 overall on the season.

Franklin, the Mean Green's fifth-leading scorer (8.9 points) entering the game, went 6-for-9 from the floor and scored the first six points for North Texas, which built a 19-18 lead at the break. The Mean Green twice led in the opening half by four points – the last coming on a steal and layup by Alzee Williams for a 10-6 lead with 13:44 remaining in the first half.

Southeastern, which struggled from the floor finishing 14-for-56 (25.0 percent) from the floor, led three times in the first half with the last coming on a free throw by Jeffery Ricard that gave the Lions a 16-15 lead with 7:40 remaining.

North Texas built a 29-21 lead in the second half on a jumper by P.J. Hardwick with 12:14 remaining before Southeastern cut the lead to 29-28 as Brandon Fortenberry scored on a layup, Antonnio Benton drained a 3-pointer and Onochie Ochie followed with a baseline jumper.

Fortenberry, who posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, hit the first of two free throws that cut the UNT lead to 36-35 with 5:27 left, but the Mean Green pulled away for good with an 8-0 run as Mitchell hit four straight free throws and Jordan Williams added a pair of jumpers for a 44-35 lead with 2:19 left.

Benton added nine points and eight rebounds for the Lions, who held a 51-42 advantage on the boards.