Denton, TX (Sports Network) – Shannon Shorter hit four foul shots in the closing seconds to enable the North Texas Mean Green to hold off the Rice Owls 68-65 in a non-conference game at the Super Pit.
Tristan Thompson scored a season-high 26 points for the Mean Green (3-1), while George Odufuwa added 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Tamir Jackson scored 15 points for Rice (3-2). Lucas Kuipers added 13 points, while Arsalan Kazemi produced 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Rice led 31-25 at halftime after shooting 12-of-34 from the floor in the first half. North Texas missed all eight of its three-point attempts in the first 20 minutes of play.
The Mean Green outscored Rice 15-6 down the stretch to come away with the win.
North Texas turned the ball over just eight times.