North Texas top Eastern Washington in OT 79-71 as Eagles search for first DI win

DENTON, Texas – Reece Robinson made a pair of free throws with nine seconds left to force overtime, and then his North Texas teammates dominated in the extra frame to defeat the Eastern Washington men’s basketball team 79-71 on Tuesday at the Super Pit.

The Eagles (1-6) led by as many as seven points in the second half before the Mean Green clawed back and tied it late. Robinson scored 11 of his 13 points after halftime; Je’Shawn Stevenson led all scorers with 26 points for North Texas (5-2).

Alton Hamilton IV led the Eagles with 16 points, two shy of his season-high. The junior transfer made 5 of 8 shots – including both his 3-point attempts – and 4 of 5 at the free-throw line. Redshirt senior Isaiah Moses added 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting.

The Eagles shot 40% (25 of 63) and made 6 of 21 3-point shots, outrebounding the Mean Green 42-38. They also had 32 points in the paint and matched a season high with eight steals.

Eastern held North Texas to 43% shooting, the second lowest percentage by an Eagles’ opponent this year. But North Texas built an advantage at the free-throw line, where it was 20 of 30 and Eastern was 15 of 19. Both Hamilton and EWU forward Kiree Huie fouled out.

The Eagles don’t play again until Dec. 3 at Denver. Their next home game is Dec. 6 against Kansas City. Four of their six losses this year have come by eight points or fewer, and two have come in overtime.