Quick Reaction: NT 58 Oregon State 55

Atin Wright Clutch

You like defensive basketball? You like fighting for every possession? You like offensive attacks that look like FB Dive plays? Well this was the game for you. North Texas had a one point lead at the half with just 32% shooting. They finished the game with 38% and won by three. The 26 points off turnovers were the key. Oregon State had 22 turnovers to NT’s 9.

The harassing, hustling, effortful North Texas defense was ready for the Beavers. NT forced three — count ‘em, 3! — shot clock violations. Latrell Jossell sparked a 13-0 run mid second half to give NT a lead after dropping to a six-point deficit at 46-40. For a while the game plan seemed to be “grind out a defensive possession and then get it to Jossell for a transition three.”

As game plans go, it was effective.

Later, Jossell had a chance to kill the game with NT up three points. A foul put him at the line to shoot two. He missed both. Oregon State came down and Lake tied it from the corner on a drive-and-kick from Minor. North Texas was left with 31 seconds and a decision to make: who would take the shot?

In years past it was always obvious. Through six games this season NT has yet to find their closer. This blog thought Atin Wright would be the guy, but he has started the season a little slowly. Tonight, he was at 2 points before fate gave him the spotlight. He hit a little hesitation jab-step three to put North Texas up three with 7 seconds left. Oregon State put up a hurried look to end things.

NT wins.

1. Whoo Boy That Defense Is Tough

It was fun to see Oregon State drive the ball and get roundly dismissed by aggressive shot blocking. Moulaye Sissoko and Brenen Lorient were aggressively swatting away some drives. North Texas’ no-middle defense doesn’t always generate blocks, but with a little more athleticism on the roster the squad is getting some BLKs now.

Oregon is a physical team, and the squads looked like mirrors of each other, but we can say that the Beavers had a little more talent on the squad. That talent didn’t get much of anything and were forced into three shot clock violations and 22 turnovers on the night.

2. Jossell Looks Lively

Ross Hodge has a type — the undersized guard who will pull up from anywhere and let it fly. This year’s model is Latrell Jossell and he’s out there doing just that. Three-out-of-seven isn’t anything super amazing but when the final score is in the 50s, three bombs from outside are huge. Jossell was getting transition looks and knocked them down in a huge stretch of play. When he signed, we had this to say:

Latrell Jossell is out of Stephen F. Austin (after Kansas). He’s 6'1" and plays like a less explosive Jason Edwards. That is to say, he doesn’t rise up as high for his threes. He shoots at a nice clip and has some range beyond toes-on-the-line. Everything is context, and I imagine Edwards’ numbers would have looked different if he hadn’t had to carry the load by himself for a stretch. Consider, however, that Edwards averaged 23/per 40 minutes and 19 per game. Jossel is at 18 per 40 minutes, and 12.9 per game. SFA played at a much higher pace than NT, and that will change things a bit. We won’t know what is what — including whether Hodge will stick with his slow-down approach — until the fall, but we can feel good that Jossell is a good replacement for some of the shooting Edwards provided.

He is not doing everything Jason Edwards did, but the transition three/being a shooter unafraid to let it fly thing? Yes.

3. Atin Wright Was Clutch

Speaking of roles, Wright pulled out a classic near buzzer-beater that looked like something out of Tylor Perry’s bag of tricks. He didn’t dance with the ball, but he did do a little jab step and let it fly when North Texas absolutely needed a clutch bucket.

We still do not have an answer for Who Is Going To Be The Guy but a committee approach at this point in the season along with five-wins-out-of-six is definitely something to be thankful for.

Next Up: UNI on Thanksgiving for the NIT Season Tip Off First Round Matchup

UNI is a good squad and this should be a fun little Thanksgiving trip in Florida. NT is not playing pretty basketball, but that’s only offensively. Defense is beautiful to me, a lover of the grind. Expect some more out of this squad then.