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Wright Leads UNT Passed UTSA In An All-Texas Journey To First Place In AAC

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Photo Credit: Michelle Uzoh

SAN ANTONIO The University of North Texas (UNT) men’s basketball team (13-4, 4-1 AAC) delivered a commanding performance against the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) (8-9, 2-3 AAC) on Saturday afternoon, securing a decisive 72-57 win at the UTSA Convocation Center. The Mean Green never trailed during the game, fueled by Atin Wright’s game-high 22 points, which included two steals and four rebounds. With the victory, UNT is now tied for first place in the American Athletic Conference with UAB and Tulane.


First-Half Dominance

UNT set the tone early with an explosive offensive display. Despite UTSA’s aggressive full-court press and cohesive zone defense, which relied on effective communication and trapping, the Mean Green responded decisively. Wright kick started UNT’s momentum with consecutive three-pointers as part of a 10-2 opening run that established the game’s rhythm.

Wright was nearly flawless in the first half, sinking all four of his field goals, including three from beyond the arc, during his initial nine minutes on the floor. The Mean Green unleashed a series of scoring runs, highlighted by a 12-0 streak—the longest of the game. By halftime, UNT held their largest lead of the game at 40-18.

Wright led all scorers in the first half with 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting, while Brenen Lorient contributed eight points and four rebounds.


Second-Half Push

Despite the large deficit, UTSA’s fans remained engaged, creating a vibrant atmosphere in the arena. The Roadrunners fed off the crowd’s energy, showing resilience in the second half. They managed to chip away at UNT’s lead, going on a seven-point run midway through the half to close the gap to 56-48 with 8:15 remaining.

UTSA’s Tai’Reon Joseph spearheaded their comeback efforts, trading deep shots with Wright in a thrilling sequence that briefly brought the Roadrunners within seven points at 62-55 with just over three minutes left. Joseph finished with a team-high 19 points.

Photo Credit: Michelle Uzoh

However, UNT quickly reasserted control. Moulaye Sissoko’s critical and-one play with 2:46 remaining pushed UNT’s lead back to double digits at 66-55. From there, the Mean Green never looked back, closing out their third straight win with a final score of 72-57.


Key Takeaways

Standout Performances:
UNT’s Atin Wright led all scorers with 22 points, while Sissoko and Lorient each added 13 points, along with eight and seven rebounds, respectively. Jonathan Massie also contributed 10 points and seven rebounds.

Defensive Masterclass:
UNT’s defense was pivotal in silencing UTSA’s leading scorer, Primo Spears, who entered the game averaging 21.7 points per game but was limited to just six points on 1-for-14 shooting.

Rebounding Edge:
UNT dominated the boards, outrebounding UTSA 37-17.

UTSA Bright Spots:
Raekwon Horton scored 15 points, and Marcus Millender chipped in 13 for the Roadrunners. UTSA also excelled from the free-throw line, going a perfect 13-for-13.


Looking Ahead

UTSA will travel to face UAB (11-7, 4-1 AAC), a team tied with UNT for the top spot in the conference. Meanwhile, the Mean Green aim to extend their perfect home record to 10-0 as they host the Temple Owls (11-6, 3-1 AAC), who recently upset No. 18 Memphis.