DENTON, Texas -- Josh White scored 21 points as North Texas topped New Orleans 71-57 on Saturday at the Super Pit.
White, a Baton Rouge native, scored his 1,000th career point in the second half to help the Mean Green (10-6, 3-3 Sun Belt Conference) stop a two-game losing skid. Tristan Thompson added 18 points off the bench, including 11 key points in the first half.
Freshman point guard Carl Blair and sophomore Charles Carmouche each had 15 points to pace UNO (6-11, 1-5), which fell for the ninth time in its last 10 outings. Blair also had a team-high eight rebounds, while Carmouche added seven rebounds and four steals.
The Privateers played without leading scorer Billy Humphrey, who aggravated a knee injury in Thursday's loss at Denver.
UNO still led 22-19 with 5:59 left in the opening half following a pair of Blair free throws. But North Texas closed the half on a 17-5 spurt, keyed by 11 points from Thompson.
The Mean Green, who led 36-27 at halftime, led by as many as 20 in the second half.
"We scored 57 points and that's about what we're going to score without Billy," said UNO head coach Joe Pasternack. "Tristan Thompson came in and exploded, they went on a big run, and that was our downfall."
North Texas shot 43 percent from the floor and was helped by seven 3-pointers. The Privateers shot just 37 percent, though the visitors did win the rebounding battle 38-37.
UNO will return home on Thursday with a 7 p.m. contest against UALR at Lakefront Arena. It will be Faculty Appreciation Night, as UNO faculty and staff can attend the game for just $6.
For more information, please call 504-280-GAME.
