Unt's Loss Saddens Fans

[NT80]

UNT's loss saddens fans

03:50 PM CDT on Friday, March 16, 2007

By Monty Miller Jr. / Staff Writer

Mean Green fans were left feeling a little saddened after the men’s basketball team loss to the University of Memphis in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament Friday, but they didn’t let it get them down. In fact, they seemed even more excited about the future.

“Any showing like this is good,” said University of North Texas alumni Fred Kemp, who watched the game with a small but rowdy crowd at Lucky Lou’s on West Hickory Street in Denton. “This establishes us on the national stage. And, next year—who knows?”

The Mean Green lost the hard-fought battle 73-58, in an up-and-down game that saw UNT lead through much of the first quarter, but fall behind in the second.

As the game kicked off, a raucous group of green-clad fans at Riprock’s on West Hickory Street circled around four televisions, jumping up and down, pumping their fists and yelling for the home team, and the cheers didn’t stop until the game was over.

“They are doing better than I thought they would,” said UNT senior Kingsley Estrada. “I actually picked them to win this game [in his bracket], so we’ll see.”

Early on, it was looking pretty good for the Mean Green and the crowd was getting excited. The room quickly filled up to where it was standing room only, but nobody seemed to mind. And the crowd just kept growing.

“I’m very excited,” said UNT graduate student Holleh Neyestank, who was watching the game with her friends on their lunch break. “I’m so impressed by our team, and I’m proud that they finally got into the tournament.”

Back at Lucky Lou’s, the crowd was intently watching the game as the second half began with UNT down 37-28, but none of the fans were giving up.

“They’ll have a chance as long as they can make their free throws at the end of the game,” said UNT alumni John Williams.

As the second half wore on, UNT tried to keep up with Memphis, coming within 5 points at one time, spurring the Lucky Lou’s crowd to chant, “Let’s go, Mean Green, Let’s go.”

But, in the end, UNT couldn’t keep up, and with a little more than five minutes left in the game, CBS switched to another tournament game.

UNT fans were not happy.

“Can you imagine if there was five minutes left in the Texas game and they did this?” one irate fan asked his buddy at the bar.

Even though the score of the UNT game was only being shown on a small box at the top of the television screen, the crowd didn’t lose interest. They still reacted to every scoring change in the game.

Then, when CBS switched back to the UNT game, the place erupted in applause.

By then, though, the announcers were already pronouncing Memphis the winner. The fans began to accept their team’s fate, but they didn’t let the loss get to them.

“It’s still huge,” said UNT senior Jacob Jones. “Any time you play on national TV, it’s big for the whole university.”

Over at Vitty’s on Teasley Lane, UNT junior Eric Miller was sitting on a long leather couch in front of a big-screen television, as those around him began to take down all the Mean Green paraphernalia toward the end of the game.

“I need to drink more,” he said.

[LittleMeanGreenMan]

I think, structurally, this may be the worst article I have ever read.

[CMJ]

I think, structurally, this may be the worst article I have ever read.

[NM Green]

How about that abrupt ending. The story sounds unfinished.

Way to go Mean Green! Congrats on a fantastic season!

GMG

[BonfireBrian]

UNT's loss saddens fans

03:50 PM CDT on Friday, March 16, 2007

By Monty Miller Jr. / Staff Writer

The Mean Green lost the hard-fought battle 73-58, in an up-and-down game that saw UNT lead through much of the first quarter, but fall behind in the second.

Not to mention that college basketball plays 20 minute halves, and not quarters.