MOBILE, Ala. ? Career-highs by juniors Demetric Bennett and Daon Merritt sparked the Jaguars to a come-from-behind overtime victory over North Texas Sunday afternoon at the Mitchell Center. Bennett led all scores with 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Merritt had 24 points as USA (15-7, 9-2 SBC) increased its season-best winning streak to eight. North Texas (14-7, 5-5 SBC) was led by 19 points and 11 rebounds from Quincy Williams.
In the overtime session, senior Carlos Smith hit a 3-pointer to put USA up 86-85 with 2:08 left. Davis came right back for North Texas to put the Mean Green back up 87-86. Cowherd put the Jags back up 88-87 at the free throw line.
Merritt tied the game at 89 with one minute left in overtime. After a turnover by North Texas, USA had the ball with 33.3 seconds left and played for the last shot. Merritt drove to the hoop and dished to sophomore Brandon Davis who was fouled with 3.8 seconds left. Davis went to the line for two shots and made one for a 90-89 lead. UNT put the ball in play and Ben Bell forced a desperation 3-pointer from half court that did not go in.
The game opened as USA made two of its first three shots for a 5-2 lead, but the Mean Green went on a 8-0 run to take the lead. Bennett hit a 3-pointer to end the run at the 16:03 mark for a 10-8 score.
North Texas extended the lead to 20-11 with a 10-3 run over the next 3:38 as USA went 1 of 4 during the span, while the Mean Green were 3 of 7 with a 3-pointer by Rich Young. Merritt cut the deficit to 22-13 with a driving layup and Bennett followed suit to make the lead 22-15 with just over nine minutes left in the half.
Another 3-pointer by Bennett got the crowd of 2,325 back into the game and cut the deficit to 24-18 with 8:35 left. USA forced a turnover by North Texas and Merritt hit his first 3-pointer of the game to get the Jags within three.
USA took the lead for the first time in the game as Merritt drove to the bucket and got the hoop and the harm for a 31-29 lead at the 5:17 mark in the first half. Watson came right back with a 3-pointer to put the Mean Green back in front 32-31 followed by a trey by Davis to push the North Texas lead to 35-31 with 4:06 left in the half.
North Texas pushed the lead back to 46-38 with two 3-pointers, but a trey by sophomore Trajinski Grigsby cut the lead back to five with just under two minutes to play in the half. With just over four seconds left in the half, Merritt drove to the basket for two to cut the deficit to four points at 49-45 as time expired.
For the eighth straight game, the Jaguars trailed at half as USA shot 51.6 percent from the floor on 16 of 31. The Jags were 6 of 10 from beyond the arc and 7 of 11 from the line. Bennett had a season-high 17 first half points on 6 of 9 from the field and 3 of 3 from beyond the arc to lead all scorers. Merritt had 15 points on 5 of 8 from the field and 4 of 5 from the line.
North Texas shot 52.9 percent from the floor on 18 of 34 from the field. The Mean Green was 5 of 13 from beyond the arc and 8 of 10 from the line. Watson had a team-high 11 points followed by Young with 10 Williams with 10.
UNT held a 22-12 lead on the boards.
USA opened the half missing its first four shots as North Texas extended the lead to 55-45 with 17:27 left. Bennett got the Jags on the board with a nice layup from senior Stephen Cowherd. A trey by Bennett cut the deficit back to single digits with 15:29 to play.
The Jags cut the deficit back to three points at 62-59 courtesy of a 3-pointer by senior Leandro Buboltz and a jumper by senior Carlos Smith with 11:45 to play. Since the 15:16 mark, USA outscored UNT 9-3.
Cowherd ended a scoreless drought for both teams cutting the UNT lead to 73-69 with 4:45 to play in the half. Neither team had scored since the 8:27 mark. Cowherd then hit another trey to cut the deficit to 76-72 with 3:58 to play.
Bennett tied his career-high with a driving layup to cut the deficit to 77-74 with 2:38 to play. Merritt brought the Jags within one point with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession after Williams made one of two free throws for North Texas, 78-77.
USA tied the game at the free throw line as Smith made one of two free throws with just under 90 seconds left. Ben Bell hit a 3-pointer to put the Mean Green up 81-78, marking just the second field goal for North Texas since the 8:27 mark.
USA had the ball with 16.9 seconds left and Merritt hit the game tying 3-pointer at 11.5 to force overtime.
For the game, USA shot 47.6 percent on 30 of 63 from the field. USA was 13 of 24 from beyond the arc for 54.2 percent and was 17 of 26 from the line. Bennett was a career-best 11 of 17 from the floor and 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. Merritt was 8 of 15 from the field and 3 of 5 from beyond the arc with five free throws. USA closed the rebounding margin to 39-36, out-rebounding the Mean Green 24-17 in the second half and overtime.
North Texas had six players in double figures led by Williams’ 19. Watson added 15 and Davis chipped in 14. The Mean Green shot 50.7 from the field on 34 of 67 and was 8 of 23 from beyond the arc. UNT was 13 of 20 from the free throw line.
USA begins a two game road swing at New Orleans on Thursday and at Middle Tennessee Saturday. USA returns to the Mitchell Center Thursday, Feb. 8 against Western Kentucky at 7:05 p.m.
