BOCA RATON (FAUSports.com) – The Florida Atlantic University men’s basketball team had its chances late in the game Thursday night in a hard-fought, 54-51 loss to North Texas. The loss snapped FAU’s 10-game home winning streak and extended North Texas’ overall winning streak to 11 games.
FAU (15-11, 8-5 CUSA) had five chances to take the lead or tie the game in the final 1:43, but couldn’t convert as UNT (19-4, 12-1 CUSA) held on for the three-point victory. The Mean Green came into the game as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in scoring defense and it showed.
“That’s part of the game, the shots didn’t go in,” FAU head coach Dusty May said. “North Texas, they’re so pesky defensively, so physical. We played very, very hard and put ourselves in position to win. We just didn’t get over the hump. That’s a group over there (UNT) … they have guys who have been in these situations a lot and they found a way to get a win.”
The Owls never trailed in the first half. FAU got eight points off the bench from Giancarlo Rosado in the first 20 minutes to spark the Owls. FAU led 17-13 with eight minutes left in the first half and a pair of Rosado buckets sparked a small, 6-2 spurt, putting the Owls on top 23-15 with 3:55 remaining. But North Texas outscored FAU 9-3 over the remainder of the half to tie it at the intermission, 26-26.
“In the first half, I thought we got much better looks, especially in the paint,” May said.
The Mean Green outscored FAU 14-4 over the first five minutes of the second half and looked to be taking control. But FAU never folded. The Owls continued to battle back. A pair of Bryan Greenlee free throws and a Michael Forrest 3-pointer midway through the second half pulled FAU back within four, 46-42.
A pair of Forrest free throws with 2:25 pulled FAU within one, 50-49. Neither team scored again until North Texas’ Thomas Bell converted with 28 seconds left. FAU still had chances, but just couldn’t get the big basket needed to tie or take the lead.
Rosado was the only Owl in double figures with 10 points. Alijah Martin paced FAU on the glass with five rebounds. Bell and Tylor Perry each tallied a game-high 13 to lead the Mean Green. North Texas our-rebounded FAU 35-26 to make up for a 16-8 FAU edge in turnovers. The Mean Green held a 14-10 edge in offensive rebounds and made the most of them, holding a 17-2 edge in second-chance points.
The Owls are back in action in another huge game Saturday afternoon at FAU Arena. The Owls are in second place in the Conference USA East Division, while division-leading Middle Tennessee State visits The Burrow. Tipoff vs. the Blue Raiders is slated for 4 p.m.
