DENTON, Texas -- The Old Dominion women's basketball team fell to North Texas, 65-55, on Sunday afternoon at the Super Pit, as the Mean Green used an 11-0 run in the final five minutes to earn the comeback victory.
"I have to give North Texas credit. They worked hard and they earned it," said head coach Karen Barefoot. "It came down to the little things. The big thing that really stood out to me was our unforced turnovers. The other part was the offensive rebounding. They are the best offensive rebounding team we have played against all year."
Playing for the third time in five days, Old Dominion (6-7, 1-1 C-USA) opened the game with a 7-0 run. However, North Texas (4-9, 1-1 C-USA) responded with its own 7-0 rally to lead 17-16 at the end of the first quarter, as the Lady Monarchs committed eight turnovers in the opening segment.
ODU then outscored UNT, 17-10, in the second quarter, as the Lady Monarch defense held the Mean Green to 23 percent shooting in the second. ODU held UNT scoreless for a span of 4:51 during the quarter and carried a 33-27 lead into halftime.
ODU shot 52 percent as a team in the first half, while holding the Mean Green to 32 percent. However, the Lady Monarchs committed 14 first-half turnovers to UNT's nine.
In the second half, North Texas cut the margin to four at the end of the third quarter, outscoring the Lady Monarchs, 13-11, in the third. UNT then opened the final quarter with a 10-4 run to take a 50-48 with just over five to play.
Jennie Simms then hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 50-50, before the Mean Green went on an 11-0 rally to lead 61-50 with under a minute to play and UNT would hold on for the 65-55 victory.
Simms led ODU with 14 points and a season-high six assists. Odegua Oigbokie tied her season high with nine points, while Gianna Smith and Destinee Young each added seven points. Young also hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds.
Off the bench, Carolina Bernardeco and Annika Holopainen each registered season highs with five points each, as the ODU bench outscored its opponent's for the sixth consecutive game, 21-7.
Overall, ODU outrebounded UNT, 37-33, but the Mean Green held a 20-7 advantage in second-chance points. North Texas scored 25 points off of 24 ODU turnovers.
"We have to regroup and we have to come out with a ton of passion," said Barefoot. "We have to be ready for Marshall and whatever they throw at us and do a better job down the stretch."
UP NEXT
The Lady Monarchs return home to face Marshall on Thursday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m. and WKU on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 4 p.m.