DENTON, Texas - McNeese got out to a quick start, leading 13-3 through the first four minutes, but North Texas regrouped and forced the Cowboys out of their game as the Mean Green pulled out a 77-67 win here Thursday.
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The loss evened McNeese's record to 1-1 while North Texas improved to 2-0. The Cowboys will be back in action on Monday night when they host Biblical Studies in the home opener.
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Larry Johnson and
Jaylon Dean-Vines each scored 17 points to lead McNeese while
Christian Nitu and Choppa Moore scored 10 each. Je'Shawn Stevenson, the AAC preseason player of the year, scored a career-high 30 points to lead North Texas.
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"I want to be able to watch the film but I think we just got punked," said head coach
Bill Armstrong. "We just didn't stick to our game plan. We'll get it corrected that's for sure."
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Three days after firing on all cylinders in a 99-78 win over UAB in Monday's season opener, McNeese was held to just 36 percent from the field (20-55) and 38 percent from three-point range (10-28). The Cowboys turned the ball over 15 times while forcing 12 and scored only 10 points off turnovers.
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North Texas connected on 26 of 56 (.464) for the game and 7 of 27 from long range. The Mean Green held a 37-32 advantage in rebounds including pulling in 13 offensive boards for 15 second chance points.
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North Texas led 34-32 at the half and built a 53-41 lead with 14:46 to play following a 10-0 run that was started by a Stevenson 3 and ending with a traditional 3-point play by the Mean Green star player.
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McNeese put together a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 53-50 with 11:23 to go. Nitu started things with a three-pointer. Johnson hit a pullup jumper off a turnover then hit on a driving layup following a NT miss. Another turnover forced by McNeese was followed up by a Moore layup.
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From that point in the final 11:23, McNeese made just 3 of 16 from the field and went the final 5:58 without making a field goal.
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