UE falls by a final of 80-63
DENTON, Texas – University of Evansville freshman Gabriel Pozzato scored a game-high 28 points in his collegiate debut as the Purple Aces men’s basketball team fell to North Texas by a final of 80-63 on Tuesday night at the Super Pit.
Pozzato converted 10 of his 16 attempts while hitting three triples and hauling in three boards. Tanner Cuff recorded 11 points while Tayshawn Comer scored nine in his UE debut. Jasper Floyd was the leading scorer for the Mean Green, finishing with 23 while Johnathan Massie scored 18.
“In the first half, we were just impatient and let their pressure get the best of us. I thought we finally settled in as the second half went along,” UE head coach David Ragland said. “We were able to put some more pressure on them and hit some shots. There are some good segments on both ends that we can take away and learn from tonight. We will learn from this experience and get better because of it.”
Cuff gave UE a 2-0 lead out of the gate before the Mean Green countered with a 9-1 run to go up 9-3. UNT converted its first three outside attempts. Gabriel Pozzato knocked down Evansville’s first 3-pointer of the night to cut the deficit to three before a triple from Tayshawn Comer made it a 13-9 game at the 14:34 mark of the opening half.
That is when North Texas kicked it into high gear. Over the next ten minutes, UNT outscored the Aces by a 26-5 margin to open a 39-14 advantage as the first half entered its final five minutes. They would extend the lead to 26 points (42-16) in the final two minutes before a late free throw by Pozzato made it a 42-17 game at the break. The Mean Green shot 47.1% from the field and long range in the first half while the defense held UE to 27.3% in the first half and 15.4% (2-for-13) from outside.
Despite facing a 29-point deficit in the opening moments of the second half, the Aces battled back. One minute in, the Mean Green took a game-high 46-17 lead. UE made a quick 4-0 spurt before UNT established a 52-24 lead at the 16-minute mark. Over the next five minutes, the Aces put together their best stretch of the night, going on a 16-3 run to make it a 15-point game.
Cam Haffner got on the board with consecutive triples before Pozzato recorded 10 points as UE made it a 55-40 game with 11:15 remaining while two more free throws by the freshman made it a 14-point game with 8:09 showing on the clock. The teams traded baskets over the next several minutes as UNT worked to avoid letting the Aces get any closer. UE made it a 12-point game in the final minutes before the Mean Green finished the night with the 80-63 triumph.
Evansville outshot North Texas by a 46.8%-45.6% margin. In its second-half comeback attempt, the Aces shot 64% and converted six of their final 13 tries from outside. The Mean Green completed the night with a 39-22 edge on the glass. Josh Hughes was the leading rebounder for UE, finishing with six while Cuff posted five boards and four assists.
On Saturday, UE will open its regular-season home slate with a 1 p.m. game against Brescia.
